New Beginning
by Bulletproof Picasso
Summary: Ada has always been different. She is the adopted daughter of Tony Stark, and gifted with unusual powers. What makes her stand apart though is where she is actually from. This is her story, from beginning to end. Follows the events of all the movies, maybe including the Amazing Spiderman movies. Rated T for swearing. Includes Pepperony and Clintasha.
1. Part One: Beginning

**Chapter One**

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_"Reality is a lovely place but I wouldn't want to live there..." - The Real World, Owl City_

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It was a dark and stormy night when she arrived. No one knew where she had come from. The only indications they found was a card placed in her basket. A card with her name and date of birth. The baby was found at an orphanage around the month of February 1988.

"Ada." The caretaker, a woman around her late thirties, leaned down and picked the baby up.

She was surprised to find a gold necklace hidden in the basket. She studied the detailed carvings in the gold with awe. It reminded her of the Norse mythology she used to study when she was younger. This child would need to be cared for.

The orphanage was an important landmark here, where kids of all ages until sixteen were raised. It was her job along with a few others to keep them fed and clothed. She would indeed take care of this child, no matter what happened.

. . .

I stared back at my reflection as I got up before the alarm clock. It wasn't even eight in the morning and I was wide awake. Looking back at me was a young girl with long black hair and dark brown eyes.

Today marked my sixth birthday. June twentieth. I let out a sigh of relief as I fixed my hair in a ponytail. The one thing I hated more than anything was having hair blocking I vision. It made me feel like someone was about to pull off a prank on me.

Many of the kids in the orphanage loved to do that, especially to newcomers. I was lucky enough to avoid being part of their games. They had learned the hard way not to mess with me. I tended to let my anger get the better of me, which led to many fights.

The only person I ever talked to was Heather, one of the caretakers at the orphanage. Heather was the one who had taken me in that night when a storm was raging on. No one had gotten a glimpse of what my mother looked like.

I always wondered what she looked like since Heather had told me that story. Did she have my dark black hair? Or was that my father's look? I couldn't be too sure. I don't even know who my father is let alone my mother.

"Ada come on!" I froze when I heard Maggie calling my name. She was standing in front of the doorway, arms flailing with excitement. "Today's the day!" she exclaimed with an excited jump.

"For you to calm down?" I tilted my head to one side as Maggie frowned at me. Everyone always said I acted older than I appeared. At first I had wondered what they meant by that until now. Normally I'd be jumping for joy like Maggie.

"Come on Ada, you know what day it is," she giggled after finally calming down. "Emily said more people are coming in to look at us, so we might get adopted."

I raised an eyebrow at her skeptically. I didn't want to be a downer, but sometimes adoption was harder for humans than it was for animals. It's been five years and no one bothered to even look at me. Heather had only told me that I just needed to wait for the right person.

"Okay, I'm ready," I said after making sure I was right.

Maggie kept on humming to herself as we walked down the stairs. The building we were in was three stories high. It was old; the building had been built during the 1920s. But it was big enough to house plenty of kids, and since it's creation it had always been a orphanage. Girls slept on one floor while the boys slept on another.

The first floor was mostly for activities and meetings. One of the rooms had a pool table in it that the older kids liked to use. I've never played the game, but I've always wanted to learn. Beside that room was the lunch room, where we all ate at the same time. And in another room was the media room; that room was used the most and often fought over.

I usually kept to myself, not enjoying getting caught in fights. While I could easily defend myself if I wanted to, there was no way I'd get caught in a fight.

"So I wanted to keep this a surprise until later on, but I couldn't resist." Maggie's attitude had completely changed when we reached the lunch room. I frowned in confusion as she reached for the refrigerator. It was usually kept off limits unless we had permission from the caretakers.

When she turned around I stared at her in disbelief. She was holding a cupcake, one for me and one for her.

"Maggie, how did you-" She cut me off with a sheepish grin.

"I asked Emily to get them," she admitted. "When I told her what I was doing with them she was more than happy to get them."

"Maggie, you're the best!" I gave her a huge hug before we dug in to our not so healthy breakfast.

It's my birthday, I should be allowed to eat whatever I want!

"Ada, someone's here to see you!" My eyes widened when I heard Emily's voice. Emily was another caretaker, she did the morning shifts. Heather usually took on the night shifts, and another woman by the name of Ashley took on the afternoon shift. In all three women worked here, and it had always been that way.

I glanced at Maggie, crossing my fingers that this interview went well. She wished me luck as I headed for the room Emily pointed out. Down the hall to my right. The smallest room in the building.

Taking a deep breath, I sent a prayer that I didn't mess this up. This was the first time someone had ever wanted to talk to me outside the orphanage. It was usually the younger kids people adopted, or the older ones.

Slowly but surely the door opened. What I saw next made me stop in my tracks.

Sitting in a chair in front of me was a man I'd seen many times on television. They were mostly news stories of how successful he had gotten.

"So, you're the kid I've been hearing so much about," he finally spoke after eying me for what felt like hours.

"Who's been talking about me?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice calm.

"You know, for a six year old you sound more like an adult." A knowing look flashed in his eyes. My fists clenched with annoyance as he grinned at me. "Believe me kid, I'd tell you if I knew," he added when he noticed them.

"Are you here to adopt me?" I asked warily.

"That depends... how would you feel about having a real family?" Again with the hundreds of questions.

"I would... love to have a family," I admitted, thinking of what would happen after this was over.

"Good, you passed the test." He stood up and grabbed the files that were placed on the table. The files were ones Heather and the other caretakers had made of my time here. I recognized them from when Heather had showed them to me.

"Test?" I looked at him questioningly.

"Yep, you're exactly what I'm looking for." To me that sounded a bit forced. But I smiled nonetheless. Finally I was getting out of this place! "Pack your bags, I'll wait for you outside."

I was quick to follow him out of the room, eager to get out.

Maggie was still waiting downstairs, talking to Emily as she wondered what was going on. I decided not to say anything until I had everything packed.

She was my best friend. Leaving her behind would be the hardest. I hoped we could stay in contact after this. Otherwise this might be a difficult decision.

Once upstairs I packed everything I had while he finished filling out the adoption papers. This was the start of a new beginning. I wasn't sure if I was excited about it or nervous. A new life with a total stranger wasn't something I had looked forward to.

"Take care of yourself," Maggie whispered as we embraced each other with a hug. He was still waiting outside when I finished packing. Maggie had already learned from Emily what was going on. Tears were falling from her eyes, but she put on a warm smile. "I think this is the best birthday present anyone could offer," she added.

Glancing towards the stairs nervously, I nodded in agreement. "I just hope this is the right thing," I murmured.

"Ada, wait!" Emily stopped me before I could leave. Maggie was still standing beside her, eyes dark with confusion as Emily handed me an envelope. "Heather wanted me to give you this when you were adopted," she explained.

I eyed the envelope warily before testing it to see what was inside. Something small bounced around until I stopped shaking it. Now that sparked my curiosity. I was about to open it when I saw some writing on the envelope.

'_Ada, please do not open this until your sixteenth birthday - Ms. H._'

I had to wait until than?! Heather obviously wanted me to be patient. With a sigh of frustration, I placed it in my already stuffed bag and gave Emily a hug.

"Tell Heather I said goodbye," I told her.

"I will. Be good for your new family," she reassured me.

With that being said, I waved goodbye to them both and walked out of the orphanage, for the last time. This was going to be the start of a new life. Little did I know just how exciting this new life would be.

* * *

**AN: Okay, I just couldn't resist trying this out on my own. I know there are like, a million of these, but I couldn't resist. Hopefully readers will enjoy what I've written, and it doesn't sound like what's already been written... I apologize if it does.**


	2. Settling In

**Chapter Two**

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_"You got a voice that sounds, You won't get pass this one You won't win your freedom..." It's Not Over Yet, For King and Country_

* * *

The car had finally skidded to a halt after we drove for what felt like hours. I was clinging on to the seat for dear life, not daring to see just how fast he was driving. This guy made every other driver look like saints. I'm surprised he hasn't gotten into an accident yet.

"We're here!" he announced after pulling out the keys.

"Where are we?" I peered outside, curiosity getting the better of me.

I was surprised to see a massive mansion in front of me. The man in question was smirking as he opened the car door for me.

"Welcome home." Narrowing my eyes, I wondered why the heck anyone like this guy would adopt someone like me. It's not like I met any qualifications. I took a deep breath before grabbing my bags. This was like nothing I'd ever seen before.

It would take some getting used to living in a place like this. What really caught my attention was the fact that this building was right on the edge of a cliff. Every room seemed to have an ocean view. I remembered hearing that this guy was rich, but I never realized just how much money he must have.

We walked on in silence. The sound of waves crashing against the beach was soothing compared to the silence. I could get used to this life. I could already see myself spending hours on the beach, relaxing in the sun or swimming in the ocean.

Luckily the awkward silence didn't last long. We reached the door, and in an instant it slid open. My heart was beating rapidly when I saw the inside of the massive building. A woman with strawberry blond hair was sitting inside. Sitting beside her was a taller, muscular looking man with dark brown hair. Above them was a banner that said '_Welcome Home_'.

"Hi, you must be Ada," the woman smiled as she noticed me. "I hope Tony wasn't too rough on you," she added when she noticed how nervous I was.

"His driving was questionable," I murmured. Tony frowned when I said that.

"Well, you've already met Pepper, and of course Happy. You'll be seeing them a lot here," Tony explained. Happy just nodded in confirmation of his name. He was grinning like a kid in a candy shop. "I'll show you to your room."

I looked over my shoulder warily, noticing that Happy was keeping an eye on me. Pepper was already leaving for what I assumed was her job. I recalled hearing that Pepper and Happy both worked for Tony Stark, but they were all good friends.

How in the world did I end up in a place like this? What made me qualified enough to become a Stark?

Too many questions surged through my mind. I couldn't concentrate properly as I was led down the halls. It looked as though every room here had an ocean view, and that would make for an awesome bedroom.

"So, what do you do for fun?" Tony's question caught me off guard. We had stopped beside a door that I guessed would lead to my room.

"I don't know," I replied with a shrug. "I've always loved science, and technology." Tony raised an eyebrow at my last statement. It was true. I loved them both, and there were plenty of other things I could say I loved. But that didn't mean I had the time or chance to learn any of them.

"Well I'd say today's your luckiest day ever," he said with a smug look. "I happen to have a lab in the basement, I could teach you everything I know." I stared at Tony in disbelief, unsure what to say next.

"That would be great." I couldn't help but grin when I realized where this was going. No one at the orphanage had never had the same interests as me. Well, maybe Maggie shared my interest in tech, but that was about it.

"Good, get yourself unpacked and we can get something to eat. I'm sure you're hungry."

That much was true. I was starving. It had been hours since I last ate that cupcake. Much to my embarrassment I could already hear my stomach growling. I tried not to blush as Tony opened the door for me, revealing a large room.

Once he was gone, I dropped my bags on the bed and took it all in. The bed itself was a full bed that sat on a higher floor. To my pleasant surprise I could see the ocean from a panoramic view. This place was twice the size of my shared room at the orphanage. Back there I would've had to share the room with two other girls. And here I had the room all to myself.

I couldn't resist letting out an excited squeal. The urge to flop on my bed got the better of me, and I wasted no time in claiming it as mine. This was so much better than I thought it would be. Finally I had a new home and someone I could call dad. It was almost too good to be true.

. . .

"The girl is in his custody now." Phil Coulson stood beside Director Fury as they overlooked the status of the girl. Their recent discovery of where she had come from was the reason behind her sudden adoption. The last thing they needed was someone using her for the wrong reasons.

"Good, let's hope Stark doesn't mess this one up," Fury muttered.

He was clearly frustrated that Tony Stark was the only one qualified enough to adopt a child. Out of everyone that was close to the organization, it had to be him. Romanoff or Barton would have been far better off raising the child. But they were both constantly in danger or on missions of their own. That was no way to raise a child, much as Fury hated to admit it.

"We'll keep an eye on her, and assess her on every birthday," Coulson told him. "If she shows any signs of powers, we'll let you know immediately." Fury pinched the bridge of his nose at the mention of powers.

There were far too many irresponsible young people with powers. This child needed to be taught how to control them if she did possess such abilities.

"Good, you're dismissed," Fury replied. Coulson simply nodded and left him. This was one mission that couldn't go wrong.

. . .

It was late at night, and we'd just finished my first meal at my new home. Tony and Pepper were busy chatting while Happy kept asking me questions. I answered them all as properly as I could, surprising him with what I said. Even Pepper had mentioned how much older I sounded than I really was.

Until now I'd never really given that much thought. I always thought it was kind of cool to think differently. But maybe the idea of having a mind older than my body was a bit strange. I was only six after all.

"Well, first thing's first, I'd like to give you this." Pepper had left the table and returned moments later with a brightly wrapped present. I stared at her in surprise when she handed it to me. "Tony did say it was your birthday today, right?"

I just nodded before replying, "yes. But getting adopted was the best present anyone could give me." I could already feel the tears threatening to overwhelm me. Tony said nothing at that, but I noticed that he was grinning like Happy had earlier that day.

"What'd I tell you Peps?" he asked with a nudge. "She's perfect." I blushed at those words, knowing full well they weren't true. Pepper just rolled her eyes and let me take the gift.

"Just open it, I think you'll like what you see," she told me.

When I realized she wouldn't be happy if I didn't open it, I did as she instructed. I held back a sigh as I opened the gift.

The gift was a stuffed animal, and attached to it was a note card. I couldn't help but stare at the gift, taken in by it. The stuffed animal was just like the one I used to have growing up at the orphanage. Only that one had gotten thrown away because it was too worn. Even Heather with all her sewing skills couldn't fix it.

"How did you..." Pepper glanced at Tony, who by now looked bored.

"Tony did a little research before we made the decision," she explained before he could open his mouth. "We hope you'll enjoy your life here."

Gently she held on to my hand as I fought back the tears. For the first time I was too choked up for words. This was truly the best birthday anyone could have given me. And I had a feeling that this was only the beginning of what would become my greatest journey yet.

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**AN: Here's the second chapter! Hope everyone enjoys it, and yes, everyone from the Avengers will eventually be included.**


	3. First Power Discovered

**Chapter Three**

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_"They won't see me run, who can blame them? They never look to see me fly, so I never have to lie..." Tiptoe, Imagine Dragons_

* * *

"Does anyone know where she came from?" Pepper asked as she sat down by the bar. Tony had already grabbed a pair of glasses for himself and her while Happy returned to his place for the night. After spending the last few hours cleaning the place up, Pepper was exhausted.

"No," Tony replied. "That's why they wanted me to adopt her. And apparently I'm the most qualified father to a kid her age." He added the last part with finger quotes. Pepper raised an eyebrow when she realized where this was going. There was no way Tony could ever be qualified as a proper father. He was irresponsible, a playboy, philanthropist and billionaire.

"You realize that she's our responsibility now," she reminded him. "If word of this gets out to the public, they'll know something is up. And the last thing I want to do is hurt her if she does find out the truth." Tony nodded in understanding. He knew what it was like living with a cold and uncaring father. He wouldn't ever treat Ada that way.

. . .

It's been three years since I was adopted. My hair's gotten longer, and I put in blond highlights. Since than my mentality has gotten even stronger. Everyone was worried about my health and where my mind was headed. But that didn't stop me from using my intelligence to my advantage.

Tony's taught me everything I know. We often worked together in the lab when he wasn't busy at his usual job. It was great having the chance to use my brain for something other than avoiding fights. I felt like I actually belonged here.

School has been easy since I started going. So far I've already learned five different languages, and aced in just about everything. The teachers had even gone as far as asking dad if he was doing my homework for me. Luckily we were able to prove that I was the one doing my homework.

Life has been great in the long run. Until today. It was on my ninth birthday that I made a recent discovery about myself.

It was early in the morning I made the discovery, when I first woke up. The smell of smoke had alerted me, and of course I was dreaming of being caught in a fire. Jarvis had already alerted me to what was going on.

The scream that followed should've been heard for miles. But no one came to see what was wrong. Strangely enough after I put out the fire, I realized that there were no burn marks on my arms or even the rest of my body. I eyed my arms curiously, not sure what to make of it.

"Jarvis, are there any burn marks you can scan?" I asked warily. There was no way in heck this was humanly possible. Maybe this was just a dream and I would wake up in a few seconds. Carefully I pinched my arm, only to feel a sharp pain that followed.

_Okay_, _I'm not dreaming_. That much I could gather.

"_It appears you are unharmed_," the friendly A.I. told me.

So that confirmed it. I'm not even sure where this fire had come from. But I'm getting rid of the evidence. I doubt dad would be happy knowing I nearly set the place on fire. Even though he's probably started more than a few fires in the lab than he could count.

"I think it's best we don't tell dad about this, right Jarvis?" I looked up uncertainly. Thankfully Jarvis responded with a quick yes before signing off for the time being, leaving me to clean up the rest of my room in silence.

I can't believe I was nine years old now. Ever since I was adopted life seemed to move by quickly. I managed to stay in contact with Maggie despite the distance between us. She was adopted a few weeks after me. Now she lived in a house in Los Angeles California.

There were times when I missed hanging out with her at the orphanage. And I even missed listening to Heather's stories. She would always tell me these crazy stories about Norse mythology. From what I had gathered Heather had studied Norse mythology when she was in college.

Once I left the room I was eager to get the day started. It was a Saturday, which gave me enough time to concentrate on goofing off in the lab. I had no doubt dad was down there if he wasn't at work. He didn't normally work during the weekends, so the odds were with me.

"Hey Pepper, do you know where dad is?" I stopped when I reached the living room. Pepper was looking over some paperwork while listening to music. She glanced up from her work when I asked the question.

"He's down in the lab," she replied. "Do you need anything?"

"Actually I was kind of hoping I could get new bed sheets," I admitted. My voice was full of guilt as I thought of how they had been destroyed. Back at the orphanage you were lucky if you got a change of sheets when the old ones were ruined.

"Ada, all you have to do is ask," she said in a gentle tone. "What happened to the old ones?"

This time I looked down at the floor, embarrassment washing over me. Should I tell her the truth? I was afraid of what might happen if I did.

"I'd rather not say," I murmured.

Pepper raised an eyebrow before standing up to join me. I felt the heat rising in my chest as she pulled me in close. She was shocked to feel heat running off my body in waves. For the first time I realized just how dangerous this was.

"You're burning up," she gasped. "Do you have a fever?" She placed a hand on my forehead as if to confirm her question.

"No, I feel fine," I protested, trying to shrug her off. That only seemed to increase her worry over me.

"Jarvis, call in Tony, he should see this," Pepper suddenly ordered. The A.I responded with a _yes ma'am_ before doing as it was told.

I tried not to look annoyed as we waited for dad to emerge from the lab. An awkward silence hung in the air during that time. I wished I knew what to say. It wasn't like I could tell her that I was the one who set my bed on fire. And somehow got away unscathed.

"What's up?" Dad showed up moments later, looking like he'd just finished running a marathon.

"Ada's burning up," Pepper explained before I could speak. "I think she might have a fever."

"I'm sure she's fine," he replied as he joined us. I flinched when he pressed his hand on my forehead, just like Pepper had. "See? She's fine." It took me a few seconds to realize that he was right. I couldn't feel the heat anymore.

Warily Pepper did the same just to find that he was right. She let out a sigh of relief before glaring back at dad.

"You should be a little more concerned for her," she remarked.

"It's fine," I muttered with a shrug. "I'm sure it was nothing."

"Anyways, I'm working on a new project downstairs, you wanna check it out?" I glanced over at Pepper warily before nodding. I was more than relieved to get away, half hoping that she would forget what would happen.

I loved working in the lab with him. He told me the day after I was adopted that it was open any time, which surprised me more than anything. I mean, it's not like I had any experience with the tech at that time. But I was quick to learn everything.

We worked for the next few hours on what looked like a new missile launcher. I've seen the blueprints for them a few weeks ago. Since dad was a weapon's designer I always got to see the latest in weaponry. But seeing these made me nervous.

"Shouldn't you be working on this at the Industries?" I asked once we were finished.

"I would, but some of my best work stays here," he replied with a sheepish grin. "This should keep the government off my ass for a while," he added

"What's wrong with them?" Curiosity got the better of me. I knew that dad didn't get along very well with the government, especially since they were constantly asking for bigger and stronger weapons. He had no problem designing them, but sometimes the government got pushy.

"Nothing you need to worry about." I didn't miss the worried look flashing across his face.

After we were finished with the work in the lab, we had dinner. Pepper had already replaced my old sheets with new ones, much to my relief. All that kept running through my head was the fire that I had produced that morning. Then another, more alarming thought rushed through my mind.

What if that fire was created by me? What if I somehow accidentally set the place on fire?

I can't let them find out about this. They might send me back if they did. I've only just gotten used to living with a new family. I wasn't ready to lose them, not now, and not ever.


	4. Six Years Later

**Chapter Four**

* * *

_"I've been up in the air, out of my head, Stuck in a moment of emotion I destroyed..." Up In The Air, 30 Seconds To Mars_

* * *

Six years.

It's been six years since I discovered I could control fire. The idea had shocked me at first, but eventually I grew to accept that. I've also graduated from high school at a young age. Thanks to the help of dad and Pepper, I got my diploma sooner than anyone expected. In that time I've lost contact with Maggie.

She was two years older than me. So it wouldn't surprise me if she's already moved out and started a life of her own. Maybe she forgot about me, and maybe I forgot about her. Either way I wasn't too concerned. Sure I missed her, but I've made friends.

First off I've met Colonel James Rhodes. He was a good friend of dad's, and worked for the military. But he spent a lot of time at the mansion. Since we first met I've come to enjoy his company almost as much as Happy's. Then there were Leo Fitz and Jemma Simmons.

Like dad they were geniuses, though not on the same level. They were techies like me, and we often got caught in conversations about the latest tech that was out there. Lately they've been talking about going back to college, and I haven't seen them in a while since our last encounter. But we still kept in touch when they were available.

Aside from that life was going great. At fifteen years of age I was able to control the fire I created. Every night on the beach I would set up targets to shoot fireballs at. I've been getting better and better with my aim.

Maybe I should be a little more concerned about someone watching me. I often thought of that when I was doing this. Considering we lived right by the beach on a rocky bluff, I could hide myself fairly easily. It was the ball of fire that would give away my position.

"Ma'am, your father wishes to speak with you." I froze in midstep when Jarvis's voice reached my earpiece. I kept one in just in case when I went out. Dad was well aware of the fact that I went out almost every night. But I never told him exactly what I was up to.

He wasn't ready to learn what I could do. I was afraid he and Pepper would toss me out once they discovered my secret. So I did everything behind their backs in the hopes of getting stronger with each passing day. And luckily it was working.

"'kay Jarvis, tell him I'll be there in a few," I replied. Jarvis repeated what I told him and went silent. It didn't take me long to get back to the living room. Dad was waiting for me already, tapping a foot impatiently until I approached him. "Is something wrong?" I asked warily.

"Ada, I'm going away for a few days starting tomorrow," he explained. "I've got a weapons presentation in the Middle East."

That wasn't surprising. He always had some kind of weapons presentation to go to. Sometimes I was lucky enough to go with him. But it seemed like this time I wasn't joining him.

"Pepper and Obediah are going to keep an eye on you, alright?" he added when he noticed my concern.

"Yeah, that's fine," I replied with a nod. Before I knew what was happening I gave him a hug, surprising us both. "Just... please be careful," I murmured.

"You don't have to worry about me," he told me. "I'll always come back home."

I sniffed and wiped away a tear that was threatening to show itself. I couldn't cry, not now. Dad was stronger than this.

"Thank you, dad," I whispered. I was even more surprised when he hugged me back. It was like this was the last time we would ever see each other again.

"Anytime," he whispered back.

. . .

Coulson let out a sigh as he leaned against the back of his car seat. The girl's power was getting stronger. The fact that she could wield fire at will should worry him. She seemed so at ease shooting balls of fire at the field of targets she had placed around the cove. He was more concerned about her getting caught by other agencies like Hydra or Aim.

"Sir, Mr. Stark is getting ready to leave," he reported to Director Fury. He'd been keeping an eye on the girl for the last eight years. It was a tiring job, but he had a feeling it would be worth the exhaustion in the end. "Sir?" Coulson repeated his boss's name, suddenly worried.

"Make sure you keep an eye on Ada," Fury suddenly replied. "While he's gone she won't have much protection."

"Director Fury, I'm pretty sure Ada can protect herself," Coulson told him, remembering the fire he had seen moments ago. He would hate to get on her bad side.

"Very well, just remember your job. Only approach her when the right time arrives," Fury ordered.

Coulson let out a sigh as Fury cut him off. This part of the job would not be easy. Convincing Ada to join their agency was going to be as difficult as convincing her adopted father. He was definitely going to have to take a few months off after this.

. . .

The mother let out a gasp as she struggled to keep up with her family. Life was getting difficult for them all, especially since they discovered her abilities. The expecting mother was born with the power of the elements, and no one knew where they had come from or why she had them.

"Keep moving! They'll catch up to us!" The leader of the group wheeled around when the mother tripped. She wasn't used to fleeing, not like this. How the enemy had found them was beyond her. They were after those born with mutant powers. And she was now one of them. She could only assume that her future child would be born with some sort of power similar to her own.

"Kasai!" She clutched her leg when she realized that she must have sprained her ankle. The woman she had called out slowed down to help her out, using a healing power to ease the sprain. "Thank you," she whispered as they started running again.

"No problem, now keep moving," Kasai told her. She glanced over her shoulder to see that they were being chased by horseback. "Keep going, I'll hold them off!" she suddenly shouted. The mother stared at Kasai in horror.

"I'm not leaving you, sister," she rasped. But the leader of the group was already dragging her away. Kasai didn't let the horsemen get very far as her group disappeared into the forest.

Her eyes began to light up like they always did before she used her powers. The men let out startled yells as she shot a golden light in their direction. Kasai was relentless, not giving up until the horses began rearing and bucking their riders off.

Kasai's attacks didn't last long however. One of the men grabbed her with a rope, tripping her as she tried running once again. She didn't have a chance to fight back as the men began beating her to the ground.

"You will be the first of many to die." Kasai narrowed her eyes as the leader of the horsemen stepped forward, grabbing her forcefully by the chin. He was wearing heavy looking armor, and she wondered how the horse he was riding could even carry him.

"Our kind can never die," Kasai spat. "You will soon realize that there are many more of us." The golden light around her was beginning to heal the wounds inflicted by the men. The leader smirked and smacked her across the face, leaving behind a bright red mark.

"Then let the hunt begin," he sneered.

. . .

My heart was pounding rapidly when my eyes snapped open. The room suddenly felt smaller as I recalled a very vivid nightmare. Someone had died right in front of my eyes during that dream, and it was something that left me shaking.

Who was that expecting mother and the group she was running with? Why were the on the run in the first place? My mind was churning with confusion as I tried running through the possibilities. I couldn't believe what I just saw. I didn't want to believe that it could be real.

I was too exhausted to think of it for long. All I could do was hope that it really was just a dream. But something told me that there was more to it than that. Those people treated one another like family. A family that I wasn't part of.

* * *

**AN: So a big thank you to BandGeekDrummer for reviewing. Believe it or not these people were actually made up by me, which is why they sound so familiar. You'll be finding out more about them and what happened to them in later chapters ;)**


	5. Missing

**Chapter Five**

* * *

_"I don't wanna say goodbye, it's tearing me up inside, I just can't get you off my mind and now I'm gonna be up all night..." Up All Night, Owl City  
_

* * *

It was early in the morning when I woke up again, alerted by the alarm call by Jarvis. Jarvis had let me know that dad made a safe landing in the Middle East, relieving me of the worry I felt earlier. I still couldn't forget what I had dreamed of last night. I kept getting repetitive nightmares that were haunting my memories now.

The one thing I did to keep the memories at bay was write down every detail of the dream. From the beginning to the end. It wasn't easy knowing that I had watched someone die in my dream. The imagery was so real that I thought it actually happened. I had to keep reminding myself that it was in fact just a dream.

Once I was finished writing them down I put the journal under my bed and grabbed a fresh change of clothes. I was more than determined to practice my powers since that dream. Those people, whoever they were, had powers like mine. Maybe that was why I had dreamed about them. Maybe my mind was trying to make it seem like I wasn't alone in this world.

Waves were churning against the beach as I reached the cove. I took in a deep breath before forming a ball of fire in the palm of my hands. The flames reminded me of that golden light I had seen from my dream.

Each shot I fired caused the wooden targets to explode. I was surprised that no one had seen me doing this. From just the right vantage point they could probably watch me performing these tricks. Which is why I chose different times of the day to do this. It made things less suspicious if I went out early in the morning or late at night. At least that was what I was hoping.

The targets were destroyed in a matter of minutes. Once they were gone I had nothing left to do but sit on the beach and think. With dad gone I had plenty of time to do that. I couldn't help but wonder where I came from, or where I got this power from.

"Am I a monster?" I wondered out loud. The thought scared me. I've read story books of monsters and what they could do. There were good and bad monsters, but in the end they were always hunted down by humans.

It wasn't until I started thinking about it that I realized the water had started moving more rapidly. I could only stand and gape at the rising wave. When I looked at my hand I noticed that the wave was following the motion of my hand. Glancing back, I flicked my wrist to find that the wave suddenly broke and crashed back into the ocean.

I couldn't help but grin as I began moving back and forth, using my hand to control the motion of the water. The realization that I was actually doing this only just dawned on me. I could control the water! Did this mean I had control over the other elements as well? I could already create fire from the palm of my hand.

With a deep sigh I released the water I was holding. It went down with a loud splash, soaking me in the process. I let out a bark of laughter, unable to resist my childlike joy. Despite the fear I felt earlier, I had to admit that this was amazing. Knowing that I could do this might give me a huge advantage if someone ever decided to attack me.

I jumped when my phone suddenly began to vibrate. When I looked up I realized that it was close to noon already. How long had I been out here? I didn't even notice so much time had passed.

"Ada, you might went to get inside." It was Pepper, and her voice sounded like she had been fighting tears. The hair along my arms began to stand on end. Something was wrong. Pepper didn't normally sound like that unless something had gone wrong.

Stuffing my phone back in my pocket, I was quick to make it back to the mansion. Sure enough Pepper was sitting inside, with Rhodes and Obediah standing around her. All of them had solemn expressions.

"It's about dad, isn't it?" I asked warily. Pepper nodded in confirmation, and suddenly a knot formed in my stomach. "What happened?" I demanded. My voice grew louder as anxiety took over. My worst fears were coming true.

"It was after the weapons presentation," Rhodes explained before Pepper could tell me. "He took a separate caravan when it was ambushed. When we found the caravan it was destroyed, and there were no bodies in the wreckage. We haven't heard from him or seen him since."

I sat down beside Pepper, trying to take it all in. Dad was... gone? The impossible had happened? I didn't think anything could hurt him. Dad was always capable of taking care of himself, despite what everyone else thought. He may rely on Pepper a lot, but that didn't stop him.

"There's a press conference tomorrow at the labs," Obediah announced as Pepper squeezed my hand gently. "Hopefully we'll find him." I noticed for the first time that he didn't look as grief-stricken as he sounded.

Obediah has been like a father to dad. He always took care of the company when dad got too busy with his work here. I always assumed that it was because he cared for dad, but seeing him now... for some reason I couldn't shake off my suspicions.

Rhodes led him out of the living room as he headed out for the night. I was left fighting back the overwhelming fear that threatened to take over.

"I'll do everything I can to look for your father," Rhodes told me once Obediah was gone. I just nodded in response, watching as he left.

"Don't worry, he'll come back," I tried reassuring myself and Pepper. "He always comes back."

He had to come back. He always did.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the shorter chapter. There will be those occasionally. Anywho, a big thanks to Stetet17 for reviewing! It means a lot when I see your reviews :)**


	6. Found

**Chapter Six**

* * *

_"I finally found my real name, I won't be me when you see me again..." Invisible (RED), U2_

* * *

It's been a few weeks since dad's disappearance. Obediah's taken over the company for the time being, but that hasn't stopped me from helping out when I could. There was no way I was going to let him completely take it over. After that night I still felt nervous around him. There was just something about him that I didn't trust.

Since then I've been practicing my power over the water, and I've almost got it mastered. There were a few times when I managed to put out the fires I started with the water. That made things a bit more dangerous. But it didn't stop me from trying.

I was getting breakfast ready that morning when I heard a knock on the door. An image appeared on the security screen, showing what looked like a man in his late thirties staring up at the camera. Carefully I zoomed in on the image to see what looked like a government badge on his well tailored suit.

"Jarvis, do me a favor and open the door," I told the A.I. as I finished the pancakes. Pepper had taught me how to cook after I almost burned the last meal. Luckily pancakes were fairly easy to make, and we had plenty of them.

Dad was never too fond of the government, and he always made that clear. But I was in no hurry to have national security at my door arresting me. Besides, maybe he had information on where dad may be.

"Thank you, for letting me in." I raised a glass of milk to the stranger in question, taking a sip before I put it down and greeted him. "I'm Phil Coulson; I work for Strategic Homeland Intervention and Logistics Division," he explained.

"Wow, that's quite a mouthful," I replied.

"I know, it's a work in progress," he said. "Is anyone here with you right now?" He looked around warily, as if expecting someone to leap out of the shadows. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. He must know that everyone's been busy since dad went missing.

"Pepper's out fixing things over at the Industries, and Rhodes is looking for dad," I told him with a shrug.

"I see, so you're alone." That made me look at him warily. Maybe letting him in wasn't such a good idea after all. If worst came to worse I could show him the way out, forcefully.

I shrugged again as I started washing the plates and cleaning the counter. I've gotten used to taking over these chores while Pepper's away.

"So are you here to ask for some equipment or try and steal it?" I demanded once I finished cleaning up. Phil just stood there awkwardly in the silence. I had to admit, it was humorous watching him try to pass the time.

"Actually I was here to ensure that you're still safe," he replied. "I just wanted to warn you that your life is about to get very weird."

"I think we're past that," I muttered under my breath.

Luckily he didn't catch it. There was no way I could explain to him what I had discovered. Or the odd dreams I kept having. I've written down every detail of those dreams, hoping that eventually I could figure out what they were trying to tell me.

Maybe they were connected with my powers. Or my past. No one knew where I came from. Heather had told me that she found me at the bottom of the steps at the orphanage.

"Thank you, for warning me," I finally said as Phil raised an eyebrow at me. He tossed me a card without hesitation as I led him to the door.

"Give me a call if anything happens," he told me.

Once he was gone the tension in the room seemed to lift. I looked down at the card, taken in by the symbol on the right hand corner. It was an eagle with a shield. Remembering what Coulson had said he worked for, I suddenly understood the meaning behind it.

Dad always told me I shouldn't trust government agencies. They were always looking for ways to use people and their money. Something told me this agency was no different.

I stuffed the card back into my pocket, not wanting to think about it any longer. There was cleaning up that needed to be done. Despite the fact that Pepper spent more time here now than she did at the company, I still had my chores to finish.

It was like a distraction from the real world. The more I thought about it the more I realized how right I was. I was keeping myself busy to distract myself from the realization that dad was gone.

"Ma'am, Colonel Rhodes wishes to speak with you." I paused when Jarvis called me through the intercom.

That was weird. Rhodes had been out of the country searching for my dad over the past few weeks. If he was calling than... My heart nearly skipped a beat as I realized what was going on. I quickly pulled out my phone to answer it as he gave me a call.

"This is Ada speaking," I said once the phone picked up.

"Ada it's Rhodes, you might wanna stop by the airport. Happy's on his way to pick you up." My blood ran cold when he said that. Something had happened.

"Is he okay?" I demanded while struggling to keep my fear under control.

"It's... he's just in a state of shock," he told me.

Okay, I could understand that all. I thanked him and hung up before grabbing something clean to wear. Dad was safe. He was back in the states and alive. For a moment I could breath in a sigh of relief.

Happy was quick to get to the mansion. Once I was ready we made our way to the airport, which was already buzzing with activity. I'm sure the news had spread like wildfire. With my dad being the owner of a major weapon's dealer, I could see why. Everyone wanted to know what happened.

"Thanks for doing this, Happy," I murmured once we reached the runway.

"No problem," he replied with a sheepish grin. I could see that he was just as anxious to know whether or not dad was okay.

"Ms. Stark, how does it feel to know that your father is still alive?" A news reporter had stopped us before I could reach the plane. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and put on a smile, hoping this would go quickly.

"It feels great," I told him. All the while he was jostling down notes on a clipboard. Happy blocked him off before he could spit out more questions. I gave him a thankful nod before rushing over to where Pepper was standing.

Sure enough dad was leaning against Rhodes, who was supporting him with a strong arm. I couldn't help but grin like an idiot when dad shooed away a medic. Leave it to him to refuse any medical help. I'm sure everything was fine judging by the way he was talking to Pepper.

"Ada, glad to see you're alright," dad said as he finally noticed me. "Peps' been crying tears of joy over here."

"I hate job hunting," Pepper muttered with a roll of her eyes.

"Yeah well, vacation's over." Dad patted her on the back as he shrugged off Rhodes. Before he could even react I rushed over to give him a hug. It was the first time in weeks I've seen him, and I couldn't be happier. "What was that for?" His voice dropped to a whisper.

"Just a welcome back hug," I replied.

"It's good to be back." That was all I needed to hear. "Alright, Rhodes, I want you to set up a press conference right now," he suddenly ordered as I wiped away a tear.

I hated crying in public. It made me feel weak. But at that moment I was more than happy to. After all this time my dad was standing in front of me, giving orders like nothing had ever happened. And yet something felt off at the same time.

A haunted look flashed in his eyes when he ignored Rhode's wishes to visit a hospital. Something must have happened while he was held captive. I'm sure it wasn't an easy feeling to shake off, knowing that tomorrow could be your last day of living.

. . .

It didn't take us long to reach the building. A large crowd had gathered inside as they got ready for the press conference. I stood beside Pepper as dad sat down on the stairs. He was eating a cheeseburger like it was the best meal he'd ever have.

Most of the news reporters had already started asking me questions the moment we arrived. While I was able to answer a few of their questions, I shrugged off the majority of them. There was no way I could answer what had happened to my father. He would have to tell them himself.

"Ms. Potts?" My eyes widened when I recognized Phil's voice. Whirling around I noticed him standing beside Pepper, flashing me an uncertain smile.

"Hi," Pepper shook his hand as he introduced himself. "We've already been approached by the FBI, CIA and a few other agencies," she explained when Phil told her about which branch he worked under.

"That's why I'm here," he suddenly said. "Our division works under a... much larger scale. If anything happens please feel free to give me a call."

"I will remember that," she replied.

"I never got to say goodbye to my father."

I looked at dad warily as he said that. I remembered him saying that he never got along with his father. Pepper had even told me that the two were so distant, even though he and his father were almost exactly alike.

"There's questions I would've asked him. I would've asked him how he felt about what his company did, if he was conflicted, if he ever had doubts. Or maybe he was every inch of man we remember from the newsreels."

He paused to let this sink in. I've watched the newsreels he mentioned. His father was very stoic compared to him.

"I saw young Americans killed by the very weapons I created to defend them and protect them. And I saw that I had become part of a system that is comfortable with zero-accountability."

That must have been a major eye opener. I couldn't help but wonder how many lives had been lost because of those weapons. Had I become part of that system? I had helped dad design a few prototypes in the lab back in the mansion.

"Mr. Stark, what happened over there?" a news reporter asked.

"I had my eyes opened. I came to realize that I had more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. And that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries."

I had to cover my hand over my mouth when it hung open. The once silent room was now an explosion of questions and photos being taken. Dad didn't waste any time in leaving, Rhodes telling everyone that he would get medical attention once this was over.

Obediah was already reassuring everyone that dad would be back in shape by the end of the week. But once dad had something in mind, he never stopped. Something told me that this would not sit over well with Obediah, or the rest of the world for that matter.

All I could do was hope that dad knew what he was getting himself into.

* * *

**AN: Decided to run a double update today. They're calling for thunderstorms later on so the Internet we have is guaranteed to go out.**


	7. Hurt But Alive

**Chapter Seven**

* * *

_"And we live in a beautiful world, Yeah we do, yeah we do..." Don't Panic, Coldplay_

* * *

It was late when I got back. After dismissing several phone calls and getting in the shower, I was exhausted. Dad got back not long after I was ready for some rest. He spent the last few hours trying to sort things out with Obediah. Though I'm sure things are not sitting well with him.

"Are you going to the dinner tomorrow night?" I jumped when Pepper asked me the question. I hadn't even thought of that. With everything going on my mind has been so distracted these past few hours.

"I guess," I replied with a shrug. "What's that?" I noticed the bag she was holding. It looked like she had washed her hands a dozen times before approaching me. Shouldn't she be back at her apartment by now? I know it was late, and she's had a long day just like me. Then again she already is like a mother to me.

"Just a small gift your father gave me," she explained with the slightest roll of her eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow than." She gave me a small kiss before leaving the building.

Okay then. So I'm guessing dad was in the lab. Which gave me the chance to finally get some proper sleep. Once she was gone I returned to my room, ignoring the urge to go down and see what dad was up to. Knowing him he was probably fixing up a few things, even though I was sure I had kept the lab in good shape.

With a sigh I flopped onto my bed and welcomed the comfort it provided me. I was left thinking of how I would ever tell him about my powers. The idea made me feel slightly nauseous. Would they accept me if I told them the truth? Or would I be treated like an outcast and put in some kind of facility?

Slowly my eyes began to close. I was too exhausted to keep thinking like this. All I could do now was just sleep, and hope these anxious thoughts went away in the morning.

. . .

"Congratulations Nadia. You're expecting a baby girl." The woman breathed in a sigh of relief as the doctor turned away.

After months of fleeing from the hunters, she and her group had found a small village known as Rajasthan. There they would rest for the next few months in the hopes that her unborn child would survive. Nadia was exhausted from all of the running. She was certain it wasn't healthy for her unborn child either. But they had little choice. The longer they stayed the more danger they and the people that took them in were.

"How much longer must we keep up this running?" The leader of their group, an elderly man with long silvery white hair, let out a sigh of frustration. His name was Thai, and he came from a long family of people born with unusual gifts. Nadia was now his eldest daughter, and the only one left of his family.

"For as long as it takes," replied the gruff voice of a brother. Though they were not related by blood, Nadia had come to know him as her brother. They grew up together near a farm in France. They became good friends and protected one another. She had discovered that he could read minds, but only from a short distance. "Why can we not just strike them down? We have the power to do so," he added.

"Benoit, I understand your hostility towards the humans," Thai murmured thoughtfully. "But we cannot persecute them. It would be an act of violence, and we are not the violent type." Benoit looked at him angrily, but said nothing in response. "We can only hope that one day the people of this world understand we are not a threat."

Nadia nodded in agreement, though she had her doubts. Humans were strange creatures. They lived in a world of fear and hate. She knew that it was only a matter of time before they destroyed themselves with all of their violence.

. . .

My heart was beating rapidly when I woke up with a gasp. It was only seconds before my world went black that the dream occurred. The woman I dreamed about a few weeks ago... I knew her name now. And that dream seemed more real than ever.

With a quick grab of my notebook, I jotted down everything I saw and heard. I tried adding as much detail to the story as possible. Looking back at the older stories, I noticed just how much time had passed between dreams. The woman - Nadia - was expecting a child within a few days from now. Maybe I would get to see what her child looked like.

These dreams were getting worse and worse. The people I saw were slowly dying off. Someone was hunting them, but I couldn't be sure who that someone was. The vision was never clear enough to see their faces. What I did know was that these people needed help.

"Jarvis, what time is it?" I rubbed my eyes to try and block away the tiredness.

"It's seven in the morning," came Jarvis's response.

Only seven in the morning? I forced back a groan and fell back onto my bed. With so much time I supposed I was free to do whatever I wanted. But there was something else I had in mind. And that something was finding out what had really happened to dad.

Once I got dressed I left the room to find that dad was already awake. Rhodes was sitting beside him at the bar counter, talking in low whispers. It looked like dad was only half listening to whatever Rhodes was telling him.

"Hey Ada," Rhodes said once he realized I was there. Dad raised an eyebrow as I sat between them.

"Hey Rhodes," I replied with a sheepish smile. "So, are you going to tell me what really happened?" I glanced back at dad, who looked like he was trying to get a read on my mood.

"I'll see you guys later," Rhodes suddenly told us. Most likely he didn't want to make things even more awkward. I gave him a small wave in goodbye as he left the room.

"You're really not going to let this go, are you?" dad asked as he eyed me warily. I shook my head and locked gazes with him. Suddenly I was more determined than ever to get the answers. "This... this happened to me."

My eyes widened when he revealed what was in his chest. A glowing blue light that was eerily similar to the Arch Reactor was lodged in his chest. I could still see scars from his captivity. Suddenly anger replaced the worry I felt earlier. Whoever did this to him should pay.

"Rhodes told me what happened to you, but... is that to keep the shrapnel from entering your heart?" I looked away, unable to hide the fear and anger I felt.

"Yep. It produces a magnetic pulse that keeps the shrapnel away," he explained.

I could see that. The Arch Reactor was meant to just be a ploy to keep the environmentalists happy. But part of me knew that it could provide enough energy to power a building, if used properly. I've been doing some research into that.

"So that's the only thing keeping you alive?" It was a struggle to form the words. Before this all happened my dad seemed invincible. But seeing him now, I realized that everyone was vulnerable at some point in their live.

"I'll be fine, Ada," he reassured me. "I've gone through worse, trust me."

Looking up at him, I knew that he was telling the truth. Dad has been through worse. And we were going to get through this.


	8. First Dance

**Chapter Eight**

* * *

_"'Cause lovers dance when they're feeling in love, Spotlight's shining. It's all about us..." All About Us, Owl City (Ft. He Is We)_

* * *

The party was in full swing when we arrived. I was wearing a long dark blue dress with an open back while dad wore his usual suit. Everyone was bustling with excitement or asking questions about how the company was doing since dad's change. It was nice seeing everyone together, either laughing or dancing.

I've never met anyone I could take with me, at least anyone I was interested in. So I didn't mind being alone that night. Although it did make things awkward when people started asking me why I was alone. With dad being the 'playboy' man he supposedly was (I knew that it was true, though I refused to take any part in it), they were surprised I didn't have a new date every week.

What did surprise me was seeing Phil Coulson in the room, talking to my dad. It looked like he was struggling to keep Coulson from asking any further questions. And I finally noticed what dad was staring at, or to be more precise, who.

"Hey Pepper," I greeted her as she joined me. She looked beautiful tonight. She was wearing a green dress that dad had given her for Christmas a few years ago. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, and she wore a few pieces of jewelry. In all she looked very well dressed for the occasion.

"Hi Ada, how are you doing?" she asked.

"Never better," I replied with a shrug. I glanced over my shoulder, ignoring the desperate look dad was giving me. Phil was still talking to him. "So, enjoying the party tonight?" I leaned against the wall as she stood beside me.

"Of course. Though watching Tony get harassed by agents is priceless," she said while struggling not to laugh.

I couldn't help but join her laughter. She was right about that. Finally dad managed to push Coulson away and joined us shortly after.

"What are you two laughing about?" he demanded.

"You," I told him. Dad stuck his tongue out at me before glancing back at Pepper.

"Wow, don't you look beautiful," he murmured.

"Well thank you, considering it's a dress you bought me," she replied.

With that being said, I decided to take my leave and give them some alone time. Whether or not they would admit it, I knew they needed each other. Pepper was like the support dad needed in order to survive. But she was so much more than that.

I stood outside on the balcony and stared at the scenery in front of me. The stars were shining brightly despite all the lights from the city. I stared at them in awe, wondering if that might be where my mother was now.

She might or might not be dead. I would never know the truth. And maybe I wasn't meant to know the truth. But it would be nice to know what had happened to her.

"Excuse me." I glanced over my shoulder to see a young looking man standing behind me, looking a bit embarrassed. "I didn't realize that you were here." He paused as he looked at me, eyes widening in surprise.

All the while I was taken in by his appearance. He was wearing a black suit with a red tie. His hair was short and dark brown, almost black like my dad's. But that wasn't what caught my attention. It was his eyes that made me wary around him.

"Forgive me for staring," he suddenly apologized. "My name is Emmet, Emmet Carhall. And you must be..." I stared at his hand as he offered a handshake in greeting.

"Ada," I replied. "Ada Stark." I couldn't resist blushing as I shook his hand.

"So you're Mr. Stark's daughter?" I nodded to confirm his question. "Please forgive me, I did not know!" His sudden apologies were getting annoying. With a sigh I shook my head and smiled, hoping to ease his irrational fear.

"It's fine," I reassured him. "You're not in trouble. I was just stargazing."

"The stars are beautiful tonight," he murmured in a distant tone. That made me blush even further. I'm pretty sure right now I looked like a cherry. "My father has worked for Mr. Stark for quite some time now, and I was invited to come with him tonight to this party. I never expected to meet the daughter of Mr. Stark."

"I see." Warily I looked away, unable to hide the uneasiness that followed.

That was when things started to get even stranger. Well, stranger for me at least. Like I said before, I've never dated anyone. So I was more than surprised when he asked for a dance. At first I wasn't sure how to respond to his question. But soon I gave in and we were dancing on the balcony, watched over by the stars.

For the first time in my life, I actually felt normal. Emmet's smile was irresistible, to say the least. And the more time I spent with him the more I realized we had in common. We spent most of that night talking about what we did and where we grew up. I left out the fact that part of my childhood was spent in the orphanage.

Don't get me wrong, I loved everyone there. Heather and the rest of the caretakers were wonderful people. But I loved this life even more. Here I actually felt like I belonged somewhere.

. . .

"So, who's your friend?" I rolled my eyes when dad asked me the question. It was the morning after the party. Emmet had left me his phone number, and I had given him mine. My suspicions from earlier that night seemed to disappear when I was with him.

"He's just a friend dad," I told him. "A friend who offered me a dance last night." I let out a sigh as I remembered what had happened.

"So he's not after anything else?" He raised an eyebrow, and my cheeks burned a bright red once again.

"Seriously?" I yelled. "That's the last thing on my mind right now!"

Actually something was on my mind. The way he spoke and looked at me made me wonder where he came from. And why he had taken such an interest in me. There were plenty of other young women in that party that would be better off than me.

"Alright, I'm just sayin', you need anyone to shake him off and I'll be there." Yeah, to hall his ass to jail most likely. "I'll be in the lab if you need me." With that, he left me sitting there thinking of what to do next.

Should I give Emmet a call? Or should I follow my suspicions and forget about him? I couldn't help but smile as I pulled out my phone. Call him it was.

* * *

**AN: Forgot to say a big happy Fourth of July to the US! Independence Day is a pretty big deal for us :) Also Emmet is going to be playing a much bigger roll in future chapters, and make a major impact on Ada's life. PLEASE remember to leave a review and let me know what you think of this so far!**


	9. Suspicions Rising

**Chapter Nine**

* * *

_"All the right moves and all the right faces, So yeah, we're going down..." All The Right Moves, One Republic_

* * *

"You might want to turn on the news." I listened to Pepper's message as I got back from a day spent with Emmet. I have to admit it, he really was charming. We enjoyed a lunch at a nice cafe not far from the beach. After that we spent the the afternoon on the beach itself, enjoying the waves and watching the surfers.

Now I was sitting on the sofa at home, watching the news like Pepper had instructed. Sure enough I saw a news clip about something that had happened in the Middle East. A group of terrorists had been taken down by someone dressed in a gold and red suit. No one knew where the suit came from, only that whoever was inside had stopped the terrorists.

"Jarvis, where's dad?" I muted the TV and glanced at the monitor. My question received a silent response.

"He's in the basement, ma'am," Jarvis replied after a few minutes had passed. I narrowed my eyes and turned off the TV.

Something was up. It didn't take me long to reach the lab, which was protected by a pass code. But I've learned all the variables and typed in a password. Seconds later and the door slid open with a hiss. My heart nearly skipped a beat when I saw dad standing in the middle of the room, struggling to get off what looked like a gold and red suit.

"Dad!" My shout caused him to flinch.

"Let's face it, this is not the worst you've caught me in," he said as the suit finally came off.

"Are those bullet holes?" I couldn't help but cover my mouth with my hands. Tiny holes could be made out on the suit itself. Suddenly my mind went back to the news clip. I realized that the hero who saved those villagers was actually my dad.

"Maybe. How'd you get in?" he grabbed a rag and wiped off the sweat before approaching me.

"Duh, I bypassed the security," I muttered with a roll of my eyes. "So, what happened to not making weapons?" I folded my arms and stared at the suit of armor.

The gold and red was a little tacky for my likings. But dad always liked to make a big show out of just about everything. I could see why he chose those colors.

"This isn't a weapon," he explained. "It's more like a peacekeeper." He patted me on the shoulder before grabbing a beer from the fridge. "I've still got a few kinks to work out, but it's fully functional now."

"So... does that mean you need some help?" I glanced at the suit warily, still not sure what to make of this.

Was this how he managed to get out of captivity? That would make sense. I doubted he would still be alive if he hadn't had any armor to protect himself. Then again he had the Arch Reactor in his chest. He didn't make it out unscathed.

"You should probably stay out of this," he replied. The sheepish grin disappeared as he looked at me. "Look, for years I've done nothing but ship weapons over that have killed hundreds of innocent people. I've just... finally found something worth fighting for."

I looked at him warily. Suddenly I remembered what he had said that day of the conference, when he announced that he was no longer dealing with weapons. He really was telling the truth after all. Suddenly I gave him another hug before letting him go.

"Just remember to be careful," I murmured.

"Always," I heard him whisper as I left the room.

. . .

It was close to midnight when I started using my powers again. Balls of fire were hurtled towards the targets placed on every corner of the beach. My skills felt a little rusty since I haven't been practicing lately.

With everything going on I haven't had the chance to practice. Now I was glad I had gotten the chance to escape. The ocean breeze felt wonderful as I started putting out the fires I had created. I could feel strength returning each time I used my powers.

Dad wasn't the only one who could help save people. I had realized that with powers like this, I could easily help them. But I was also afraid. I was afraid that society wouldn't accept me if I showed my powers. They might lock me up or worse, try experimenting on me.

Some would say I've watched way too many Sci-Fi movies. But I couldn't shake off the feeling that something like this would happen. Seeing those people in my dreams kept haunting me. It was like they were warning me that something terrible would happen if I revealed my powers.

"What would happen if they saw me?" I wondered out loud. I thought of what Coulson had told me before my dad was rescued.

"A lot of weird things are about to happen," he had said.

What he said suddenly made sense. And it made me wonder if I should call him. Maybe he and the organization he worked for could help me. But again dad's words about not trusting government agencies kept running through my mind. I shouldn't trust these people, especially when I did have these powers.

With a sigh of frustration I put out the final flames and returned to the mansion. When I did return I was surprised to see everyone there, including Obediah. He was playing the grand piano while Pepper and Rhodes started whispering to one another.

"Ada, help yourself to some pizza," Pepper said when she spotted me. I glanced warily at Obediah before grabbing a slice, realizing just how hungry I was.

"How'd the meeting go?" I froze when I heard dad's voice. Obediah only shook his head and ignored him. "That bad huh?"

"Just because I brought pizza back from New York doesn't mean it went bad. Would've gone better if you were there," Obediah replied. I sat down beside Pepper as dad frowned and looked back at Obediah. "Tony, they wanna lock you out," Obediah said in a warning tone.

"Why? Because our stock dipped forty points? We knew that was going to happen," dad muttered as he grabbed a slice of pizza.

"Fifty six and a half actually," Pepper corrected him. I couldn't help but look down at the floor, realizing just how far this had actually gone. The board was worried about the stock profits, and understandably. They would lose money if the score went even lower.

"It doesn't matter!" Dad shouted, suddenly sounding angrier than usual. "We own the controlling interest in the company!"

"But Tony, the company has rights to," he snapped. His eyes went to me, as if to dare me to be part of this argument. I just ignored him and tried to finish my meal without getting caught in this.

"Isn't that impossible with all the precautions his father placed in the company?" I pointed out, trying to piece this together. The board did have some right to the company, but from what I gathered dad's father had made it so that he had every right to the company.

The glare Obediah gave didn't go unnoticed. I returned the glare with one of my own, not wavering from his piercing gaze. Yeah, I knew more about the company than he did. Just because he was like the co-owner of the company didn't mean that dad had taught me a thing or two.

"It doesn't matter," Obediah stated. "The board is making the case that what you're doing isn't in the company's best interest." I could see the triumphant look in his eyes, and resisted the urge to roll my own.

Yeah, I'm sure that he had a big say in that issue. And of course the board would agree with him. Dad's new intake of not making weapons had shaken the entire country. Maybe it was just taking time for them to recover from the loss.

"I'm being responsible! That's a new direction for me - for the company," dad caught himself. I noticed not for the first time how haunted he looked as he stood up. And of course Obediah caught the look as well. "I mean, me on the company's behalf being responsible for the way th-" He looked at me as if pleading for me to finish his sentence. I could only shake my head doubtfully, still unsure of his new policy. "You know what, I'll be in the shop."

Before Obediah could stop him, he picked up what was left of the pizza and made his way down the hall. I couldn't help but look up at Pepper, trying to figure out what was going on. She only frowned and shook her head. Obediah stood up as well and patted dad on the shoulder like he was trying to comfort a young child.

"Tony, I'm trying to help you, but you have to give me something to work with; give me something to pitch them. Let the engineers analyze the Arc, draw some specs." Dad just shrugged him off and started leaving the room.

"No," he snapped.

"If you don't give me anything-" Dad cut him off with a piercing glare.

I've rarely seen dad this angry. Not since the time I wandered down to the lab without his permission.

"Absolutely not. This one stays with me," he snapped.

"Fine, then this stays with me," Obediah retorted as he grabbed the box of pizza from dad's hands. "You both want a piece?" He suddenly opened it as I stood up and stood beside dad. I ignored him and followed dad down to the lab, hearing him ask, "Mind if I come down there and see what you're doing?"

"Good night Obi!" I called.

Once we were downstairs the tension I felt earlier seemed to diminish. I breathed out a sigh of relief as I leaned against the wall.

"Glad that's over with," dad muttered as he began working on the suit again. "You didn't have to stick up for me," he added to me.

"You're my dad," I told him with a shrug. "It's what family does." I paused and looked up at the ceiling, remembering the cold looks Obediah had given me. "Besides, there's something about him I don't like," I added. I didn't miss the knowing look flashing in his eyes. Dad had clearly felt the same way. "Anyways, I'm going to bed."

Dad just looked at me warily before saying goodnight. I took the opportunity to slip into my room while Pepper and Rhodes left the building, Obediah not far behind them. Once they were gone I tried to concentrate on getting a good night's sleep.

Something told me that tomorrow I was going to need it.

* * *

**AN: I apologize for updating constantly, I just can't resist. I've been on a roll since this morning XD**


	10. I am Iron Man

**Chapter Ten**

* * *

_"I stepped to it like I knew what I was doing, I'm a moth You're the flame..." Hey Devil, tobyMac_

* * *

More news stories about Iron Man began appearing. I kept changing the channel, hoping to get something different. Knowing that my dad was in that suit left me worrying about what he was getting himself into. I'm sure by now he's fixed most of the kinks. But that didn't stop me from worrying. After what had happened in the Middle East I couldn't blame myself.

"Hey, is your dad home?" I muted the TV when I picked up the phone ringing in my pocket. I didn't even realize I had taken it with me until now.

"No, are you outside?" As I asked that an image appeared on the TV screen, showing the front entrance. Sure enough Emmet was standing in the front, looking rather surprised to realize that was being watched. I couldn't resist rolling my eyes as I turned off the TV to let him in.

"Your dad takes security way too seriously," he grumbled once he walked inside. He looked pointedly towards the camera that was watching us now. I grinned sheepishly and shut them down by typing in a few pass codes. One of the many benefits of being a Stark meant I could learn just about any password or pass code possible.

"He's just worried," I told him. "Besides, we need the security just in case. Anyone could try and take something that shouldn't be in the hands of the public." I led him to the bar where we usually ate breakfast.

We talked for what felt like hours. It was always like this. Either talking or just sharing a few words of wisdom. I knew that it was a strange relationship, but it was nice to just talk. Dad and I were almost always busy working on the latest technology.

By the time Emmet was finished talking it was late. It took me a few seconds to realize that my phone was ringing when we walked down to the beach. Emmet raised an eyebrow when I answered it, noticing that the call was coming from Pepper.

"Ada, where are you?" Pepper's worried voice rang in my ears; I really needed to turn down the volume.

"I'm at the mansion with Emmet," I replied, glancing over to Emmet. He only shrugged before looking back at the ocean.

"Okay Ada, I'm coming over in a few minutes with agent Coulson," she warned me. "Something's gone wrong." Before I could even ask she hung up. I glanced back at Emmet. He suddenly looked worried as I stuffed my phone back into my pocket.

"Emmet, you better go," I told him. He grabbed me by the arm, the worried look not leaving as I locked gazes with him.

"What about you?" he demanded. I ignored the cold tone in his voice. If what Pepper said was true than my suspicions were right.

"I can take care of myself. Trust me," I snapped. The anger in my voice returned, and it took me a few seconds to realize that the waves were slowly building. Emmet's eyes widened when he took notice too. I glared at him as he turned tale and ran.

The waves lowered down once he left. It seemed like the angrier I got the stronger my powers were. My eyes narrowed into tiny slits. Emmet could wait. Right now I needed to find out what was going on. Something had happened at the company, and I was sure that something involved my father and Obediah Stane.

Pepper reached the bluff in a matter of minutes. I wasted no time in joining her and Coulson in the car. A few other agents were parked nearby, waiting for Coulson's orders. I had a feeling this was much bigger than Pepper was letting on.

"Take her to safety," Coulson ordered one of his agents. I was about to protest when a strong arm grabbed me by the shoulder. Pepper just eyed Coulson warily before getting back into the car. I held back a sigh of frustration as I was pulled into one of the black cars.

I was doing the one thing my dad had always told me not to do. Trust a government agency. The man in question was tall and muscular, with spiky blond hair and pale blue eyes. I tried ignoring the look he was giving me as he got into the driver's seat.

"Where are you taking me?" I demanded, trying to keep the fear out of my voice. He was driving away from the group of cars. And his driving made dad look like a saint.

"Somewhere safe," he replied. I narrowed my eyes when it looked like he was grinning.

Whatever was going on here, I wanted no part in this. But it seemed as though I had no choice. I could easily stop this car if I wanted to. Though something told me that was not a good idea. If my haunch was right than this guy could easily kill me.

He wouldn't though. Not unless he wanted a major lawsuit on his ass.

I folded my arms and glared out the window. He was taking me to what looked like a major city. The city looked like it was heavily guarded. What the hell this? Clearly there was more to this agency than I first realized.

"Welcome to SHIELD," he announced as we pulled to a stop.

"SHIELD?" I repeated.

Suddenly I remembered what Coulson had told me he worked for. My mouth opened in an 'o' shape when I realized what this meant. He just smirked as an African American approached us, this one stronger looking than anyone I'd ever seen.

I think what scared me the most was the eye patch. His presence was an intimidating one. Compared to him Coulson seemed so calm and caring. I wondered if this was the man Coulson worked for, or if it was something entirely different.

"Welcome, Ada Stark," he greeted me with a handshake. To my surprise he was as gentle as Coulson had been, though he had a firm grip like the man standing beside me. "I see you've already met agent Clint Barton." He nodded towards the agent in question.

"Who the hell are you? And what is all of this?" I demanded. What I wanted to know was what this SHIELD wanted with me. I remembered what dad had said and realized that he might just be right. That all government agencies were alike and just wanted to use us.

"Let's talk, inside," he replied with a wave of his hand.

Again I was left glaring at him as he led the way. Clint was quick to follow us, though I kept a close eye on him.

We headed into a large building that opened up to smaller rooms. This I assumed was a base of some kind. Maybe this was SHIELD's home base. Either way I wanted to leave this place. I don't trust these people one bit.

The man stopped inside what looked like a small padded room. The desk made it look even smaller. What caught my attention were all the files spread out on the desk. It looked as though he had been busy before my arrival.

"Who are you?" I repeated myself, glaring at him as I sat down in front of him.

"My name is Director Fury," he introduced himself. "I along with agent Barton and Coulson work with SHIELD." He paused to let this sink in.

"So why am I here?" It felt like there was an echo in the room.

"Look, the only reason you're here is so that I can... persuade you to join SHIELD," he explained. My eyes widened in disbelief. "I understand your father has some... issues about trusting government agencies."

"Yeah, he's made that loud and clear," I muttered.

"Well I'm here to tell you, we aren't like government agencies," he reassured me. "Our agency works along the borderline of... alien in nature. We take care of the threats that no one else can handle, and we sanction people like you."

"People like... me?" My voice dropped to a whisper. He couldn't know. Could he?

"Ada, we've been observing you ever since you were adopted," Fury explained as he leaned against the chair.

"You've been watching me?" By now my hands were shaking with rage.

"Your powers could be dangerous in the wrong hands." It was like Fury wasn't even listening to me at this point. "We believe that you are ready to join SHIELD."

I stared at the files in front of me, noticing for the first time pictures of what I looked like when I was younger. Even when I was eight I still looked like an adult. Back than I never expected myself to be in this kind of a position.

As I thought about it I realized what sort of an opportunity this could give me. This SHIELD, whatever they were, seemed like they knew what they were doing. Maybe they could help me find out where I came from. Maybe SHIELD could help unlock the secrets to my past.

"What if I say no?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. Fury smirked and rested his chin on his hand.

"We have other methods of persuading you," he replied.

. . .

Everyone was gathered in the press room the following day. A large crowd was gathered in the room. I stayed in the background while they started asking dad questions. Memories of the other day were still fresh in my mind. What Pepper had told me still haunted me.

Obediah had created his own Iron Mongle. But the suit malfunctioned. It wasn't nearly as ready as dad's suit had been. And in the end it was his own need for power that killed him. Yes, Obediah Stane was dead. Yes, his death was sort of at the hands of my father.

I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something much bigger going on here.

"There's been speculation that I was involved in the events that occurred on the freeway and the rooftop..." Dad began speaking, and more questions were asked.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Stark, but do you honestly expect us to believe that that was a bodyguard in a suit that conveniently appeared, despite the fact that..." Christine Everheart. Of all the people in the room, she was the one who annoyed me the most.

"I know that it's confusing. It is one thing to question the official story, and another thing entirely to make wild accusations, or insinuate that I'm a superhero."

I smirked when dad said that. He had an ego bigger than anyone else I could imagine. But I knew that he wanted to be seen as a hero, not as a person who had introduced powerful weapons to third world countries.

"I never said you were a superhero," Christine pointed out.

"You didn't?" When she shook her head he actually looked stumped. "Well, good, because that would be outlandish and, uh, fantastic. I'm just not the hero type. Clearly. With this laundry list of character defects, all the mistakes I've made, largely public."

Rhodes suddenly whispered something in my dad's ear, breaking the uneasiness that settled upon the crowd. I could see Coulson standing in the background, flashing me a smile as he left the room. We'd see each other soon.

"The truth is..." Dad looked down at the cards Coulson had given him, than back at the crowd. "I am Iron Man."

* * *

**AN: I couldn't resist posting this early :) And hopefully I'm not rushing through things too much... Oh well, not like anyone's reviewing. I'm just writing this for fun.**


	11. Part Two: Opening Night

**Chapter Eleven**

* * *

_"It's like we just can't help ourselves 'Cause we don't know how to back down..." Called Out In The Dark, Snow Patrol_

* * *

Balls of fire were hurtled in my direction. With each fireball I threw water in it's direction, keeping it from burning me alive. Already I could feel the energy coursing through me as I started to dodge them. Someone tried grabbing me by the arm, but I managed to block them and knock them out. In a matter of seconds the agents in question were down. I was left standing in the room, gasping for breath once it was over.

"Simulation complete." A voice sounded, and the room suddenly dissolved from the familiar beach to a cold room surrounded by steal walls. My shoulders sagged in relief as the lights turned on.

"Let me know when you find something better," I muttered as I walked out of the door.

It's been a year since I joined SHIELD's training program. Since than my dad's been building more suits. I've started helping him more and more at the company, especially with the Stark Expo starting up. The Expo has been a big deal to dad since he started talking about it.

Why am I at one of SHIELD's secret bases? Let's just say that I've been busy training. Every day I train as hard as I can, to the point I'm ready to fall over from exhaustion. There was one time when Pepper had to call the ambulance because I had almost passed out.

I haven't had the heart to tell dad the truth. That I was part of SHIELD. I didn't even know where to begin if I ever did tell him or Pepper the truth. All I did know was that SHIELD was my key to finding out about my past, and where I came from.

"That's the best simulation we've got," muttered an annoyed Jimmy Baker. He was one of SHIELD's top engineers, and a good friend. I even helped him design a few prototype weapons for some of SHIELD's top agents like Clint.

"Yeah well, time to go back to the drawling board," I gave him a pat on the shoulder and grabbed a drink from the fridge outside the room.

"You know, being the daughter of a genius means you should be able to build it yourself," he pointed out. He started pulling out holographic images, looking for anything that might give the simulation an edge. "Some of our best agents haven't beaten this simulation yet, like Romanoff and Hill," he added.

I bit the bottom of my lip, knowing where this was going. Only a select few knew about my powers. Fury and Coulson being the only two people that knew. And possibly Emmet. He never mentioned remembering that he had powers.

"I'll see you later Jim," I murmured. "I have a party to attend."

"Sure you do," he laughed as I began to leave, knowing about the Stark Expo.

. . .

A display of fireworks and women dancing in the background could be seen from a distance. Once again I stood in the back of a cheering crowd as Iron Man came flying down. I simply rolled my eyes and ignored their cheering as I focused on the scenery.

The Stark Expo was really a big deal. Something like this had not occurred since the World's Fair, which was fifty years ago. Right now there were hundreds of thousands of people here, and I blended in with the background. I had on a light blue long-sleeved shirt and an old pair of jeans. My hair was tied up in a messy ponytail, which made me feel even more left out.

"Well look at you, looking quite beautiful." I whirled around and grinned when I saw Emmet standing behind me, holding a glass of wine. How he had known I was here was beyond me, but I was grateful to see him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked as he pulled me in for a hug.

"Come on, it's the Stark Expo," he said teasingly. "Anyone who's anyone will be here. I've got some great photos too." He added the last part with a sheepish grin. "So why aren't you up there with your father?" he asked as we walked away from the crowd.

"I don't like to be part of the crowd," I explained warily. That much was true.

I hated the media. Ever since they found out I was Tony Stark's adopted daughter, life has pretty much become a circus. That's why I tried blending in when I could. And it's part of the reason why I had joined SHIELD. At least SHIELD could keep me protected from any paparazzi.

"Your dad sure likes to put on a good show," he stated.

The further we walked away the more at ease I became. Something about Emmet just made me feel... lighter than air. I couldn't exactly explain the feeling.

"You get used to it," I murmured with a shrug. "So how've you been? I mean with work and all?"

I glanced at him, curious about his newest job. He'd just been hired at Stark Industries after getting a 'mysterious' recommendation. Though it wasn't a high paying job like his father's, at least it was a job.

"Not bad, your dad's got some great ideas about how to create energy efficient technology," he replied.

That made me smile. Dad has gotten into the energy business... well, sort of. I managed to convince both him and Pepper about it, giving them a full scale of what was possible. After spending almost a year of training in SHIELD, I've gotten some pretty good ideas.

"So what have you been up to?" he suddenly asked. "It's been a while since I've seen you this relaxed you know." His voice dropped to a whisper at the last part.

I bit the bottom of my lip and looked down at the ground. Had I really looked like that much of a mess? Sure I've been training way too much, toning both skill and strength while at SHIELD. But that doesn't mean I haven't been getting enough rest in between those hours and regular hours.

"I've been busy with my... job," I explained. I was aware of the look he was giving me. He knew I was lying. "Okay look, it's something that I can't tell anyone. It's a secret."

Yeah, a secret that could get me killed if I tell anyone else. And here I was blathering to my boyfriend. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that we were officially dating in my spare time?

"A secret huh?" he raised an eyebrow. "So what sort of secret job could a young woman like you have?" The glare I gave him would have sent anyone else running with their tail tucked between their legs. Emmet wasn't like any other guy. He just grinned back and rubbed it off. "I kind of like it," he added with a shrug. "Makes you all mysterious."

We both laughed at that and continued walking. I didn't even realize we had reached the end of the Expo until Emmet pointed it out. I let out a sigh as we stood there, gazing up at the globe spinning in the center of the Expo.

"I should probably go," I murmured when I realized how late it was. By now dad was probably finished with the opening. He'd be pissed if he saw me out here alone with some boy he didn't even know.

"Same time tomorrow night?" he asked as he gave me a quick kiss. I couldn't help but blush at that. It made me realize just how real this actually was.

"Actually I have something to do than," I replied. "But maybe later in the afternoon."

Emmet just looked at me in surprise before nodding. We had reached the parking lot where his Chevy was parked. Once he got in and was gone, I quickly made my way back to the first stage. By now the crowd had died away, leaving me to wonder if I had been left alone.

"Where were you?" Dad's voice made me whirl around. I feel like I've been doing this way too many times. He was out of the Iron Man armor, looking very annoyed and worried. "I've tried scanning the crowds and couldn't find you," he added with a pout.

"Maybe that was the idea," I muttered under my breath. "Look dad, I'm fine. I'm almost sixteen, I think I can handle myself."

"Speaking of being almost sixteen, I've got the party all arranged for you," he told me, quickly changing the subject. I raised an eyebrow as he explained what we were doing. "We're going to Monaco in a few days to see the race."

"Really?" I looked at him in surprise. I've always wanted to do that. Of course that meant taking time off of SHIELD, but I'm sure Fury wouldn't mind. When he nodded I gave a slight jump, realizing that he was telling the truth. "Thank you!" I nearly shouted.

This might not be such a bad birthday after all.

. . .

My cheerful mood didn't last long though when we got back that night. I was surprised to find the envelop Emily had given me on the day I was adopted sitting on my bed. The envelop had been hidden between two books in my bookcase for the last ten years. Somehow it had moved upon my return.

_I'm almost sixteen now_, I reminded myself._ Heather told me to open it than_. Carefully I picked up the envelop, opening it as slowly as I could. I wasn't sure why I should treat it so delicately. Curiosity had gotten the better of me. I had almost forgotten about it until now.

The world felt like it had slowed down when I revealed what was hiding inside. A golden necklace with a locket at the end of the chain slipped into my shaking hand. It was beautiful, and looked like it had the Trinity symbol in the center. But what really caught my eye was what was inscribed on the locket itself. I could barely make out the letters '_AS_' on it.

Did that stand for my name? What if dad had given this to the orphanage before I was adopted? My mind was running with questions as I put the necklace on. Almost at once I regretted doing so.

A scream of agony escaped from my lungs as I felt a burning fire rush through my body. In a matter of seconds the room was already spinning. My fingers were quick to try and pry the necklace off, but something was keeping me from doing so.

_'Ada_, _don't_.' My heart nearly skipped a beat when I heard the voice. '_It is a bond to keep you safe._'

_Keep me safe_? _From what_? I could already feel the tears running down my cheeks as the pain started to die away.

'_You're too young to understand the dangers you are in_,' the voice replied. It spoke in a gentle way that reminded me of Pepper when she was trying to soothe me.

I held up a trembling hand and tried to grasp the bed frame, only to stumble and nearly trip again. _What do you mean_? _I need answers_!

'_You are not ready, Ada_,' the voice whispered. '_Not ready..._'

The voice began to die out, and blackness blurred my vision. The last thing I saw was my room as the world went black. And the last thing I kept hearing was that I'm not ready.


	12. A Valid Argument

**Chapter Twelve**

* * *

_"I'll find the places where you hide, I'll be the dawn on your worst night The only thing left that I like, Yeah I would kill for you, that's right..." What You Wanted, One Republic_

* * *

"Thank God, you're awake!" My eyes fluttered open when I felt strong hands shaking me. It took me a few minutes to adjust to where I was. I was back in my room, laying in my bed. My heart was still racing, and I could feel beads of sweat rolling down my face. Dad was standing in front of me, his eyes wide with panic. "Ada, listen to me. What happened?" He was trying to catch my attention.

I glanced up at him with sudden wariness. Memories of the night before were still foggy. All I could remember was putting on the necklace and blacking out. Though I could distinctly remember a small voice in my head, telling me that everything would be okay.

"Dad," I murmured distantly.

"Ada." He gave me a gentle hug after realizing that I was alright. "What the hell happened to you? Jarvis warned me what was happening, but the video feed was too fuzzy to make out," he added when I relaxed under his grip.

"I'm fine," I lied. "It was just from... overworking." Maybe that was true. God, I couldn't even tell anymore. The lines between what was true and what was false felt like they didn't even exist anymore. My eyes narrowed when I noticed that he looked more exhausted than usual. "I think I should be more worried about you," I added. "Have you been getting proper sleep?"

Dad looked at me cautiously, and I locked gazes with him until he let out a sigh of frustration. "It's nothing to worry about," he muttered crossly. "Get yourself dressed, we have a date with the press and than interns to look at."

Honestly I had almost forgotten about the meeting. The government believed it was in it's best interest to take the Iron Man suits away from dad. But of course in the wrong hands it could make a dangerous weapon. I knew the risks in handing such technology over. Luckily dad did too, and he refused to give it up without a fight.

Once I got dressed and ready to leave we took the private plane over to DC. Pepper was reading the paper while dad went off to who knows where. I just gazed out of the window, trying to keep my thoughts under control. The more anxious or angry I got the more power I created. I couldn't really explain it, but I had to keep it under control. If things got any worse good people could get hurt.

"Where did that necklace come from?" Pepper's question came from out of the blue. I flinched when I realized she was staring at the necklace I was wearing. Memories of last night came rushing back, and the anxiety grew.

"It was a gift from a friend," I simply lied. By now I've gotten used to lying. It was part of SHIELD training 101. If ever there was an emergency and I was called out for a mission, lie about it. Pepper just raised an eyebrow and left it at that, much to my relief.

Luckily it didn't take us long to reach DC at the speed the plane was going. The press conference was already in full swing when I arrived, sitting next to Pepper in the front row. Meanwhile Senator Stern was busy trying to find new ways to get the Iron Man suit off of dad's hands. And of course dad was making a big show out of it, treating this like it was some kind of joke.

"Mr. Stark, can we pick up where we left off?" Dad was busy talking to Pepper, acting like he didn't hear. With a roll of my eyes I kicked him under the table, earning a glare. I knew that I wouldn't hear the last of this. "Mr. Stark!"

"Yes dear?" he piped up. The crowd gathered in the room began chuckling as the Senator pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"Do you or do you not possess a specialized weapon?"

I've heard this song and dance before many times. Folding my arms I leaned against the back of my seat. The Senator kept looking back at me, as if expecting me to argue with him as well. I'm leaving this to dad. He can take care of himself.

"I do not," he replied in a tone that implied he was bored.

"You do not," Stern half muttered half grumbled.

"Sir, what exactly do you mean by 'specialized weapon'?" I asked, putting my fingers in quotations.

"The Iron Man weapon," Stern replied. I hid a smirk that was forming as dad kept on a poker face. This should be interesting.

"I would describe it as being what it is, Senator," dad finally spoke in a formal tone, suggesting that he was actually paying attention.

"As?"

"It's a very high tech prosthesis," I chirped. And of course the crowd laughed at that. Pepper shot me an odd look before glancing back at the Senator apologetically.

"Really, that's all we can come up with. It's not a weapon-" Stern cut him off with a wave of his hand.

"It's a weapon; I hate to inform you that it's-" This time I cut him off and sat between dad and Pepper.

"Let's be honest here. The tech inside that suit is beyond the minds of average intelligence," I pointed out. "And I doubt anyone would have the brains to copy such a suit. And if you really cared about the country than-" He cut me off yet again with a glare.

"My priority Ms. Stark is the well being of the people of the United States of America," he replied.

I leaned against the back of my seat, resisting the urge to glare back. For a guy who supposedly cared about his country, he sure wasn't showing it right now.

"Well you can forget it," dad cut in. "I am Iron Man. The suit and I are one."

"Basically if he were to turn it over he'd be turning himself in, and that would amount to indentured servitude," I said once the crowd fell silent.

"Or prostitution, which ever you prefer. But you can't have it."

It was fun seeing the Senator get annoyed. He tried keeping on a poker face like many of the SHIELD agents I've come to know. But it was easy to see that he was struggling under the pressure my father was putting him on.

"I have, of course, a known expert-" Dad cut him off with another comment, but Pepper stopped him before he could continue, "An expert on weapons, weapons expert."

My blood ran cold at those words. There were many weapons experts around, but not any of them were like my dad.

"I'd like to call Justin Hammer to the stand!" By now the crowd was going wild, and I resisted the urge to glare once again. Of all the annoying people Stern had called in, Hammer was probably the worst.

He used to be major competition for my dad. But again there was something about him I didn't like. Maybe it was the desperation written across his face that I didn't like. Or the fact that he was always trying to take dad's tech away from him.

"Let the records show that we both observe Justin Hammer coming to the stand," I stated in a loud and clear voice. Dad's smirk told me he'd been thinking the same thing.

"Let it also show that we are wondering when a real weapons expert will come in," dad added. By now I was trying to smother my own laughter, which of course earned a nudge from both dad and Pepper. A murmur in the room followed as Hammer gracefully made his way down the aisle.

"Absolutely, I'm no expert compared to you Anthony Stark, or Ada. Compared to me you're both prodigies." Dad just rolled his eyes while I narrowed mine as Hammer kept talking, "Senator, if I may," He stood and walked to the front of the room, "I may not be an expert, but I do know who was the expert. Your dad." The glare dad gave him was priceless. I knew that dad had never gotten along with his father. So mentions of Howard Stark made dad a bit tense. "Howard Stark was really a father to us all in the weapon's business and military age."

By now I was fuming in my seat. I remembered what Fury had told me about keeping calm. So I struggled to keep my temper under control while Hammer babbled on about how he would pry off the Iron Man suit from dad.

"But let's be clear, Howard Stark was no flower child." I scoffed at those words. If anyone was going to be rude as hell, it would be dad. But nope. Hammer beat the cake on that one. "He was a lion. In the last six months, Anthony Stark with some help from his adopted daughter, Ada," This time it was my turn to glare at him once again, "has created a sword with untold possibilities. And yet he insists that it's a shield to protect us from our enemies. He asks us to trust him as we cower behind it. I wish I were comforted, I really do; enough to have my door unlocked when I leave my house. But this isn't Canada. We live in a world of great threats. Threats that Mr. Stark may not always be able to foresee. Thank you, God bless Iron Man and God bless America."

I couldn't help but scoff at Hammer's choice in words. If only he knew just how many threats there really were. He'd high-tail it out of the weapons' industry and build a safe big enough for an entire city. I've seen his type way too many times. He was a coward, with a lot of big words and no brain.

"Now the committee would like to invite Lt. Colonel James Rhodes to the chamber," Stern announced once Hammer was finished with his speech.

"Rhodey?" Dad asked. Suddenly his interest was peeked, and I couldn't resist looking either. What was he doing here? I'm sure it was some sort of secret military thing. But he was a friend of ours, why would he be supporting the Senator?

Sure enough the door swung open to reveal Rhodes, dressed in his military uniform. He looked slightly annoyed to be put on the spotlight, but aside from that he looked fine. Peering over I couldn't resist giving him a hug as he joined us.

"Hey Rhodes, this is a surprise!" I murmured as he hugged me back. By now he's gotten used to the way I acted in front of the cameras. Trying to keep it safe wasn't exactly the easiest thing, but I've worked out the kinks.

"Hey buddy," dad shook his hand.

"Look, I'm here, let's move on," Rhodes replied in a low enough whisper.

"Alright." Dad pouted as Rhodes stood in front of the Senator. Stern began speaking some more before giving Rhodes a specific portion of the report he had submitted.

"Sir, a paragraph out of context won't mean much-" Stern cut him off. It seemed like this was something Stern enjoyed doing, annoying people by cutting them off.

"I know that Lt., just read it please." Rhodes looked at him uneasily and coughed before speaking again.

"Let the records show the fact that he is reading only a portion of context shows that he isn't telling the truth," I pointed out.

"No, the record doesn't need that," Stern replied in a sharp tone.

"Should I also mention that the Senator is also being very rude in the public?" I smirked when the Senator glared at me again. I was very tempted to move the glass of water sitting on his desk to a very uncomfortable position. But I resisted the urge.

"Just read the statement please." He let out a sigh of irritation and glared at Rhodes.

"Keep glaring like that and your face might freeze," I muttered under my breath. By now even Pepper was trying not to laugh. She tried keeping on a poker face while dad just grinned like an idiot. Rhodes just gave me a pleading look, but I could only nod. It's not like he could stop Stern even if he wanted to.

"As he does not work in any branch within the government, Iron Man presents a potential threat to the security of both the nation and its interests. I however go on to summarize that the benefits of Iron Man outweigh its costs. It would also be in our interests to fold Mr. Stark into the chain of command." Stern was trying to cut him off towards the end, but Rhodes only looked at the crowd triumphantly as he finished his statement.

"I'm not a joiner but I'll consider secretary of defense, if you ask nicely," dad said. The people in the room laughed at that statement. "We can amend the hours in a bit."

The Senator ignored dad's announcement and began showing images of what appeared to be suits that were similar to Iron Man's. He went on about Rhode's reports and how suits were being made at this moment. Rhodes kept on telling Stern that it wasn't in the nation's best interest, but Stern ignored his pleads.

I had already pulled out my phone and was using the tech Jimmy and I designed to hack into the data. Thank you SHIELD for providing such methods.

"Intelligence suggests that the devices seen in these photos are attempts at making man copies of Stark's suit." Dad glanced over my shoulder to see what I was doing and grinned. I typed in a few codes and bypassed the security. He was doing the same with his phone. "It has been inferred that these suits are quite possibly at this moment, operational."

"Hold on a second," dad mumbled as he bypassed the security. "Ada, you got that one?" I nodded and aimed my phone at the right screen, while he aimed his phone at the left. Stern furrowed an eyebrow when he realized what we were doing.

Almost at once the command box appeared, showing the words '_Welcome Ms. Stark_'. "Well that was quick," I whispered when dad's name showed up seconds later.

"Time for a little transparency. What do you think is really going on here?" dad asked.

"If you would all take a look at the screens here," I began as I scrolled through the images. "I believe this is North Korea." The machine fell over and began firing wildly. Blood splattered across the screen, and the people in the room recoiled at the sight.

Senator Stern began protesting that someone needed to turn the screens off as more and more images began to show up. I smirked as dad began narrating the pictures showing up on the screen. "And that's Iran..." The suit fell over in a puff of smoke, blowing up the camera in the process. "No grave immediate threat here."

I couldn't help but giggle when I saw a familiar image show up on the screen. SHIELD had the file locked away, but somehow it had gotten onto dad's files. "Is that Justin Hammer?" I asked in an innocent voice.

"How'd he get there?" dad asked in a joking tone. Hammer was wincing as he tried turning off the screen. "Hey Justin focus, you're on the big screen!" dad called out. The robotic suit failed miserably, and I could hear Hammer swearing in the background. "Yeah, I'd say most countries five to ten years away, but Hammer Industries..."

"I'd say twenty," I said with shrug.

"Let the records be shown that no one was injured during that test," Hammer added. He was trying to save his sorry ass, and he failed.

"The point is I think we're done here-" The Senator was struggling to take control of the court again. But dad cut him off once more.

"The point is you're welcome. I'm your nuclear deterrent. It's working. America is safe; you want my property, you can't have it! But I did you a big favor, I have successfully privatized world peace!" Dad stood up showing peace signs, and I only slumped further into my seat as people applauded for his success. "What more could they want? For now? We tried to play ball with these ass-clowns!"

I let out a sigh of annoyance as Stern began swearing at us. Dad just ignored it and led the way out of the room. I was relieved to leave the tension, and thankful we had won the battle. At least for now the Iron Man suit was still in dad's hands.

. . .

Later that day we were back at the mansion sitting in the gym. We'd gone through several interns interviews and so far no one seemed to fit the bill. So dad decided to take his stress out on poor Happy. The poor guy looked exhausted as dad tried beating him up in the ring.

I sat beside Pepper while she typed in a few notes on the keypad inscribed on the chair. The one benefit of being the daughter of a genius - everything had tech in it. Including the furniture. While Pepper was busy with her work I was scrolling through the list of possible interns. One name popped up that caught my attention.

Natalie Rushman. She hadn't shown up yet. My guess was she was running late or something. Or maybe she had changed her mind after hearing about all the failed interviews. I glanced over at Pepper warily as she finished her work.

"Hey Pepper, have we seen her yet?" I pointed to Natalie's image. A young looking red head with long curly hair and piercing green eyes. She would really stand out in a crowd if I had somehow missed her.

"No, she gave me a call this morning and said she'd be late," Pepper replied. Oh, that made sense. Sure enough in a matter of minutes she got a phone call. "I'll be back in a few," she told me.

I just nodded and continued watching as dad finally slugged Happy and hit the bell. With a roll of my eyes I stood up and leaned against the wall.

"That was a cheap shot," Happy muttered as he wiped his face clean with a rag.

"Doesn't matter, I still won," dad replied with a smirk. I noticed for the first time just how exhausted he looked, once again. Narrowing my eyes I scanned in with my phone and noticed what looked like tattoo markings on his neck.

What the heck was going on? If something was wrong dad would've told me, right? My shoulders sagged with sudden wariness as he glanced in my direction.

"Tony, we have a visitor," Pepper called as she joined us moments later. I quickly put my phone away when I noticed Natalie was standing behind her. The woman was giving me a hard look, as if to ask what I was doing here. I returned the look with a glare of my own.

"Got it, take a break," dad said to Happy. Happy just looked relieved to sit on the floor.

As dad began speaking to her I started looking more into her files. Photos and stories of what she did could be made out. All the while her piercing gaze was locked on me while she spoke to dad in a fluent voice.

"How many languages to you speak?" I asked suddenly; curiosity really does kill that cat, doesn't it?

"Several, including Latin and Russian," she replied confidently. "I've heard you can speak several as well." She ignored the look dad was giving her and continued staring at me. I shrugged the uneasy feeling off and nodded in confirmation.

"il est très pratique," I said, speaking in French. Natalie raised an eyebrow, actually looking impressed.

"Je suis sûr que c'est le cas," she replied.

Dad just looked at us both in confusion before leading her to the fighting ring. I rolled my eyes when Pepper whispered something to him, but he cut her off while taking a swig of his drink. I didn't even want to know what it was he drank.

"Happy, why don't you show her a few moves," dad said to Happy as he finished speaking. Natalie glanced over at Happy warily as he stood up.

"What are you doing?" I demanded in a low whisper as dad joined us by the chairs.

"I was about to ask you the same thing," he muttered. "So, who does Natalie work for?" he asked as he started typing away at the computer.

"She said it's legal," Pepper told him.

Legal... I narrowed my eyes at the term. Somehow that sounded very familiar. I jumped when I realized Happy was down on the floor. Natalie had her legs wrapped around his neck as he struggled to throw her off.

"Happy!" I shouted. That move looked way too similar. I've seen other people try and do the same thing, especially to me during my training.

"TKO," dad announced while ringing the bell. Natalie stood up after releasing her grip from Happy, who was gasping for breath. "You're a keeper!" dad added once she recomposed herself.

I couldn't help but look down at the floor when they left the room, still chatting away. Something told me that there was more to this Natalie Rushman than she was letting on. And only one person could help me figure out who she was. It was time to give an old friend a call.

* * *

**AN: Yes, once again I'm updating far too quickly. But meh, I've got time on my hands.**

**'It Comes In Handy' - il est très pratique**

**'I'm sure it does' - Je suis sûr que c'est le cas**


	13. Painful Memories

**Chapter Thirteen**

* * *

_"I feel too cold to live, too young to die (yeah), Will you walk the line, like it's there to choose..." Jungle, Jamie N. Commons_

* * *

Remember that phone call I had promised myself I would make? He hasn't called me back. Not since last night at least, and it was beginning to annoy me. I paced outside on the beach while I waited for the time to fly. Fury had given me the next few days off seeing as it was my birthday.

"Ada, it's good to see you again!" I froze in midstep when I heard Emmet's voice. I had almost forgotten we were meeting today. With everything going on my mind was so wrapped up that it must have slipped. I couldn't help but grin as he approached me and gave me a kiss.

"I'm sorry, I... I kind of almost forgot about this," I admitted, guilt sounding in my voice. Emmet frowned when he noticed the necklace I was wearing. I flinched as he brushed a finger against it, causing a whole new sensation burning through me.

"It's fine," he murmured distractedly. "Where did you get this?" he suddenly asked after pulling away. I eyed him warily before explaining where it came from. I didn't add the fact that it had nearly killed me when I put it on. I had no actual proof that it did. "It's beautiful, whoever gave it to you has good taste." His voice dropped to a whisper.

Before I knew what was happening he drew me in for a kiss. My body had already given in as I welcomed the feeling. It was good to feel free when I wasn't constantly being watched by cameras or SHIELD agents. Being here on the beach with Emmet... this felt right.

"What was that for?" I asked. My own voice had dropped to a whisper as I leaned against his arms. For a tech guy he was strong, and that was what I admired about him. He could easily take care of himself just like dad.

"Just in case-" He didn't get the chance to finish. I let out a yelp when I felt someone grab me by the shoulder. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was dad in his Iron Man suit. Emmet's eyes widened in terror when he realized what was going on.

"Do that again, I dare ya." I rolled my eyes when dad said that. It was clear he was glaring through the mask just by the tone of his voice. His arms were folded as he stood there hovering above us. "So you wanna explain yourself kid? Or am I gonna have to haul your sorry ass to jail?"

"Dad stop!" I got in front of Emmet before he could blast him with a repulser shot. He stared at me in disbelief while Emmet just stood there, gaping at us both. "I'm sorry I haven't told you... Emmet and I are dating." The words felt hollow in my throat as the mask came off. If the term looks could kill was real, I'd be dead right now. "Look, I know I should've told you sooner, but I wasn't sure how to."

For once he didn't know what to say. He just kept looking between me and Emmet, as if trying to find the right words. I stood my ground and waited for the yelling that was sure to follow. Knowing dad he would ground me for life once this was over. But I wasn't going to let him hurt Emmet.

"How long have you been... dating?" He cringed at the word, as if it was the most horrible thing he could have said. I rolled my eyes and was tempted to point out the many women he brought into the mansion while I was still young. But I held back.

"It would be almost two years now," Emmet replied while glancing at me.

Dad's eyes widened even further. To the point where I thought his eyeballs might pop out of their sockets. I took a deep breath before locking gazes with him.

"Maybe we can discuss this over dinner," I suggested. "You know, like right now?" I was trying to break the tension, but it didn't seem to work. If anything dad looked even angrier, if that was even possible.

"You and I are going to discuss this later, young lady," dad suddenly snapped. "As for you, get out of here before I fly you out, the painful way." Emmet's gaze darkened at the mention of being towed away. I knew he had a fear of flights, especially after what had happened to his mother.

All I could do was go back to the mansion, and hope I could further explain myself. This was not how I expected things to go.

. . .

"Of all the irresponsible things you could possibly do!" Dad was shouting again. And it was really beginning to annoy me. I rolled my eyes and leaned back against my seat, ignoring the sympathetic looks Happy was giving me. After putting up with Fury for nearly a year I've gotten used to the yelling. "Do you have any idea how pissed I am?" He finally stopped his ranting and turned to face me. Again I noticed the black veins on his neck.

"Yes," I sighed in defeat.

"Good, because you're grounded." Wow, I did not see that coming. "Jarvis will have your room under lock down after eight at night for one month, you hear me?"

"Sounds good to me," I replied with a shrug. Dad just looked at me skeptically, than smirked.

"Alright than, two months." I kept on a poker face as he kept adding more and more months, until Happy finally whispered something to him. Dad rolled his eyes and gave in to just one month. "One month and that's final, are we clear?" I just nodded once again. "Good."

"Dad, no matter what Emmet and I are still dating," I suddenly spoke up. "You can't change that."

It looked like dad was ready to argue again when he thought better of it. Believe me when I said I could keep this up all night. Aside from my SHIELD training grounding really wasn't a problem. SHIELD had protocols that could override dad's. And I had created my own for cases like this.

"Fine, get yourself packed. We're leaving for Monaco in a few," he muttered crossly.

Was that it? I glanced over at Happy, who just shrugged while shooting dad a knowing look. With a roll of my eyes, I made my way back to my room and started packing.

My room has changed a lot since I first arrived at the mansion. The bed was now resting on a risen platform that was circular, with a sky window that closed during the night. It still had an awesome view of the ocean that I watched very night before I went to sleep. But what did change were the bookcases scattered around the room. I had three old looking bookcases and a computer desk placed in the room.

To top things off dad was gracious enough to give me a walk in closet, similar to the one he had designed for Pepper years ago. Not that I was too into fashion, but it did keep my room nice and organized. Which was more than I could say about dad.

Dad... I grimaced as I thought of how angry he had been. Not that I blamed him for being so pissed off. He was right, I should've told him sooner. I wasn't even sure how I should tell him. I was right to say he's gone behind my back more than once with women in the building. Though he would refuse to admit it he knew I was right.

As I started packing my phone rang several times. While I tried to ignore it I almost forgot the reason why I had it with me. Quickly I grabbed the phone and answered it, unsure of what I would do once I found out who Natalie really was.

"You called." I rolled my eyes at the gruffness in Clint's voice.

"Yeah, do you know anyone by the name of Natalie Rushman?" I asked. My finger tapped on the desk as I waited for an answer. The files I read on her didn't seem right from the way she acted. She had taken Happy on like he was nothing, and he was a pretty buff guy with training and everything.

"Sorry, the name doesn't sound familiar," Clint replied, though I could hear the reluctance in his voice. My eyes narrowed when I realized that he knew more than he was letting on. "Besides, why would you call me of all people?" he added.

"Because I like listening to your voice?" I suggested. That actually made him laugh. Clint's ego was almost as big as dad's, though not enough to make him the most annoying guy in the world. He was tolerable, to an extent. "I thought you might know, being a master assassin and all," I put in.

"Look Ada, I have to go," he muttered after there was a lull. Before I could protest he hung up.

I held back a sigh of frustration as I grabbed my bags and left the room. Well he wasn't much help. I was sure that he would know something, being part of SHIELD. Maybe it was time I started my own digging. There were countless security codes Fury had written up just to keep me out of the files, but I could still easily hack into the system.

For now that could wait. I had a trip to Monaco to worry about, and a father who might or might not still be pissed off with me. This was going to be a long flight.

. . .

Nadia had stopped running. She was too exhausted to keep it up. The men giving chase were relentless in their attacks. By now several small villages and towns had been destroyed during their search. She and her newborn child were the last of their kind.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered to no one in particular. Tears started streaming down her face as she reached the outskirts of an abandoned village. She had to rest for her sake and the baby's sake. It was already crying for food and showing signs of starvation.

All the first-time mother could do was stare down at her child. It was like looking down at a mirror. Her daughter had the same raven-black hair she did. Same brown eyes and caramel colored skin. Nadia breathed in deep and held her daughter close. She had to do this for her child's sake and for the sake of their people.

"I see these words before the spirits of our ancestors," she began as she held the baby up. Her hands began to glow an eerie white, and the blanket around the baby began to glow as well. "Take care of my daughter, send her to a world where she will be safe and accepted."

The men giving chase came to a halt when they saw the blinding light. Nadia's eyes had even turned white as the baby began to disappear. She ignored their shouting as the child vanished completely. The leader of the group approached her once she collapsed to the ground, all energy drained.

"Where did you send it?" He kicked her in the ribs so that she was turned to face him. The white glow in her eyes started to fade, and she could only glare at him.

"Somewhere you will never find her," she hissed. "Our people will survive." A new sense of determination had taken over when she lost her daughter. Suddenly she began to stand up, ignoring the sword the leader of the group had unsheathed.

"How wrong you are, dear Nadia," he sneered. The woman let out a shout of pain as he swung his sword across her cheek, leaving a thin trail of blood running down her neck. "You've just made the biggest mistake of your life."

She never had the chance to respond. Quick as a flash he drew his sword. The only words that came out was a chilling scream, followed shortly after by an eerie silence. The men standing behind him didn't even flinch at the sight. This was what they were trained for, to kill the last of her kind.

"Go forth and search for that child," the leader ordered, pointing his sword towards his allies. "Do not let her survive."

. . .

Someone was shaking my shoulder. My eyes snapped open in alarm when I realized I had fallen asleep. I barely noticed the fact that Pepper was sitting beside me, eyes wide in panic when she caught sight of the tears I was fighting.

"Ada, Ada snap out of it!" She snapped her finger in front of my face, and it took me a few seconds to register what was going on. I let out a gasp for breath as she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Ada what's going on? This is the second time something like this has happened," she added once she was sure I had recovered.

"Is it?" I tilted my head to one side, memories of the vision still fresh on my mind. My heart was still racing from what I had seen. That woman had sacrificed her life so that her child would survive. Who was she, and why was her voice so familiar?

"Your father told me what happened the night before," she explained. "He found you collapsed in your room."

"I did?" Again I looked at her in confusion, until I remembered when I put the necklace on. I couldn't help but grimace at the thought.

"Ada what's wrong? You can tell me you know," she said in a reassuring tone.

I let out a sigh and folded my arms. All I could picture was the woman known as Nadia sacrificing herself for that baby. And the people that had killed her. The visions were getting worse and occurred more often, especially when I avoided training with SHIELD.

"I'll be fine Pepper," I tried telling her.

"Are you sure? You seem more stressed than usual," she murmured. I glanced out the window of the plane. We were getting closer to our destination, but it felt like we'd been on the plane for hours. When I looked back at her I noticed that she appeared to be in the same state.

"You do too," I said in an accusing tone.

Pepper furrowed her eyebrows and looked away. "Your father just named me CEO a couple of days ago," she explained warily. "The press is giving it a hard time and... it's not an easy adjustment." She added the last part with a sigh.

I nodded in understanding. Why would dad suddenly name Pepper as CEO? I mean I knew that she was the one person I trusted with my life, but really? Wasn't there someone more qualified for the job? But looking at her now, she looked as though she was more than ready for the task.

"We'll get through this," I reassured her, hoping that I was right. Pepper just smiled wryly before resting her head on the seat.

"I hope you're right," she said. I couldn't agree with her more.

* * *

**AN: Thank you so much Spinosa for reviewing every chapter! You're amazing :D Like I said, reviews are always encouraging, though I am writing this mostly for the fun of it. Please let me know what you think of this story so far!**


	14. Ruined Party

**Chapter Fourteen**

* * *

_"I'm only a man with a candle to guide me, I'm taking a stand to escape what's inside me. A monster, a monster, I've turned into a monster..." Monster, Imagine Dragons_

* * *

"Fury, you do realize that I'm supposed to be grounded, right?" I asked as I pulled out the tablet dad had given me. It was a Stark Pad, the very one we had worked on for months before it was released. Now it was fully functional, and I used it during business trips or when we were out on vacation. And of course the one time I could have a break I had to get a call from Director Fury.

I was at the hotel room getting ready for the party. The room itself wasn't nearly as nice as my own room, but it would do. Dad always went all out when we were on business trips, and this was no different. It was a five star hotel that we were only staying at for a couple of nights, and it came with everything I needed.

"I understand that," Director Fury replied. "But I'm calling ahead of time to warn you about a future mission." I raised an eyebrow, suddenly curious. "Have you ever heard of a Dr. Bruce Banner?" That name caught my attention.

Dad had mentioned the name a few times. There were times when I thought I could actually see dad admiring Banner's work in gamma energy. While I was impressed with it, I wasn't nearly as interested in gamma energy like Banner had been.

"So my mission is to find him?" I fell onto the bed, realizing that this was indeed actually happening. My first sanctioned mission. This was about to get interesting.

"That's right." Fury smirked as I looked back at him. "This mission will be dangerous, but I'm sure you're more than ready for it."

"What exactly am I supposed to tell dad?" I asked. My thoughts went back to what dad would say if I ever told him. He'd be more than just pissed off.

"Leave that to us," Fury replied. "We've already got the coordinates of his last spotted location; he shouldn't be hard to track." I nodded and jotted down the notes, trying to memorize the exact coordinates he'd given me. "This mission will start in a few weeks, so get ready."

Oh that was just wonderful. So I only had a few weeks to prepare myself. I let out a sigh and stuffed the tablet in a bag before getting dressed. The one thing that could get my mind off of this was the party. At least I had that much to look forward to.

After putting on a gray dress and putting my hair up into a ponytail, I was ready. I was quick to make my way to the room where the party was being held. Sure enough a crowd was already gathered, and I brushed my way past them to avoid getting hassled by the press.

Pepper and dad were already there along with Happy. When I joined them I already felt that awkward moment return as I looked at dad. He was still angry with me for not telling him the truth about Emmet. I couldn't blame him for his anger. I'd be pissed too if someone had kept that a secret. Though at the moment I had bigger things to worry about.

"Wow, looking good," dad stated as I stood in front of him, avoiding his staring.

"Did I miss something? You two have been acting like a couple of two year old's fighting," Happy pointed out. Natalie was already approaching us before either of us could say anything.

"I can't believe you hired her," I heard Pepper whisper. Dad just smirked as Natalie handed him a folder.

"Ms. Potts, Mr. Stark, Ms. Stark, you have a photographer so-" She paused as we all smiled at the camera, putting on poker faces. I'm sure Pepper would discuss this with dad later on. Wouldn't be the first time he's done something behind her back, or mine. "Right this way," Ms. Rushman said once they were finished.

"You look fantastic," dad said as he walked beside her.

"Thank you very much," she replied with a charming smile. I resisted the urge to glare back as she cast me a look over her shoulder. "You have a dinner today at nine thirty," she added.

"Perfect, I'll be there at eleven; is this ours?" Dad looked at the table overlooking a window. Outside I could see the racetrack.

"It can be." Her response was hesitant. I glanced over at Pepper who still looked like she was ready to smack the smirk off of dad's face. If I could I'd beat her to it.

Pepper and dad were already talking to a few people as they gathered around them, leaving me to stand awkwardly next to Natalie. I tried to avoid her piercing gaze as she kept looking at me, as if expecting me to suddenly attack her.

"So, how long have you been working for SHIELD?" Her question caught me off guard. I glanced over at her direction and noticed that she was no longer glaring. She only looked curious. "I intercepted a message from Director Fury," she explained when she noticed my confusion.

"A few months," I replied with a shrug. "Why the sudden interest?" I looked around warily, keeping an eye on the people in the room.

"Barton's told me all about you," she told me. I stiffened at the mention of Clint's last name. At that moment I suddenly remembered Coulson mentioning that Clint's partner Romanoff was always rushing off to a new mission. And the two were close, closer than most agents with partners.

"So what did he tell you, Natalie, if that even is your real name?" I asked, ignoring the look she gave me. Again the term if looks could kill felt very real at the moment.

I headed for the bar, and she was quick to follow me. It's not like I didn't drink, though I sure could use some herbal tea. I grabbed a glass of water and tried to avoid her staring once again.

"Ada Stark!" I forced back a groan as I heard Justin Hammer's voice. His tone was full of fake excitement. Natalie used his distraction as a chance to slip away unnoticed.

"Justin Hammer, what an... _unpleasant_ surprise." My voice dropped to a whisper when I said unpleasant. Grudgingly I shook his hand as he patted me on the shoulder like he was congratulating a young kid.

Technically I was only sixteen. Though truth be told dad had always said I acted far older than I looked. It was just one of the perks of being raised by a Stark.

"You know, I never expected the daughter of Anthony Stark to look so... pretty," Hammer said. By now I was struggling back the vile in my stomach.

God, this guy was ten times older than me and hitting on me?! Somehow I held back the urge to punch him in the nose as he continued babbling on.

"Are you doing anything tonight? Perhaps I could offer you a drink or a dinner?" he asked, eying me like I was his prey. I tried looking anywhere but him. He was making that difficult though as he kept pestering me with questions.

"Look Hammer, I already have a date, and I'm not single," I retorted as he continued a failed attempt at flirting with me. This was beyond disgusting. And yet it was somehow humorous as well. Hammer had no idea who he was dealing with.

"Well I had no idea... then perhaps a drink?" By now he had his arm wrapped around me. It didn't go unnoticed.

Quick as lightning I had grabbed his wrist and twisted it back so far that I heard a cracking noise. Hammer let out a shout of pain as I felt heat rising in my hand. Suddenly I released my grip and watched him triumphantly as he glared at me.

Other people had noticed as well. Christine Everheart had been watching the whole thing from her seat at the bar. Her eyes were narrowed into slits as she watched Justin try and shake off the pain. Luckily the one person I was hoping would notice had spotted us and intervened.

"Look who it is, my least favorite person in the world. Justin Hammer." Wow, I could almost feel the tension in the room building as dad eyed Hammer like he was ready to throw him out of the window. Justin looked down at his wrists when he realized there were burnt marks where I had touched them. I couldn't help but smirk at the sight.

Lesson learned. Never mess with someone who can fight back.

"Anthony Stark, hey pal, how are you doing?" Visibly his eyes rolled as Pepper quickly joined us. "You remember Christine Everheart, right? She's interviewing me for Vanity Fair." The triumphant look in his eyes returned, and by now my eyes had rolled in annoyance.

Dad looked like he was trying to keep on a straight face while Pepper just smiled back. I knew all too well about Christine and her one night stand with dad. Luckily Pepper had allowed me to sleep at her apartment that night.

"By the way, this is the new CEO of Stark Industries," Hammer added to Pepper, congratulating. Though it looked to me like every move was painful to him.

Finally it was Christine's turn to speak up, "I know, I know," she began. "And my editor would kill me if I don't try to get a quote from you, would you mind?"

Hammer's face fell when he realized where this was going. Pepper answered with a quick yes before Christine turned to me and continued, "Actually I was hoping I could get a word from you as well, being the daughter of Tony and all."

I glanced over at dad, desperate to get away. There was a reason why I hated the press.

"I think I'd rather Pepper get the full interview," I suggested as I looked back at Pepper. "After all this is a huge achievement for her."

Christine looked slightly taken aback by my response. "Oh, of course but-" Hammer cut her off.

"She's actually doing a spread on me coming to your Expo," he announced.

A panicked look flashed across dad's eyes as he looked between me and Pepper. Luckily Pepper covered for him, "Well yes, she did quite a... spread on Tony last year."

"You should not be part of this," dad suddenly whispered to me. Hammer didn't miss a beat and smirked at me. I returned the look with an icy glare.

"I'm old enough to know what you're talking about," I whispered back. The panicked look returned. I folded my arms and stared at him defiantly.

"And she wrote a story as well." His voice had risen so that they could all hear. "That was very impressive."

I smothered my laughter as the situation got more and more awkward for dad. Pepper suddenly nudged me and politely asked to leave the room. Dad threw us both a pleading look, not wanting to be left alone in the presence of Hammer.

"You know, I almost feel bad leaving him there," I muttered as we got to our table.

"The way you handled Hammer was perfect." I looked away when Pepper said that, still unsure if that was true.

Should I have used my powers like that? What if people had noticed? I remembered the shocked look Hammer had given me after I let him go.

"Pepper I think-" I cut myself off when I looked at the TV screen. Pepper raised an eyebrow until she saw what I was watching. Her eyes widened in disbelief as we watched dad get into a race car, throwing out the driver.

"Natalie, get Happy," Pepper ordered as the red-head approached us. She followed Pepper's gaze and rolled her eyes. I followed Pepper out of the building, only to get stopped by her. "Ada, your father would kill me if I let you out there," she added.

"He's my father, you try and stop me," I snapped.

She let out a sigh of frustration as the car pulled up. Happy was in the driver's seat with the Iron Man suitcase. It was a device both dad and I had worked on, specifically for moments like this. As Pepper got in she shot me another desperate look, but I only shook my head.

"Guys, I'll meet you there," I told them.

Before either of them could argue I started running. I'm not even sure where the boost of speed had come from, but I used it to my advantage. It wasn't long before I reached the gate that opened up to the track.

The panicked cries of the crowd could be heard as I got inside, only to see what looked like a man with whip-like electrical arms. My heart was racing as he threw one of the whips towards the crowd rushing to get out.

In one quick move the world around me suddenly changed. Without thinking I threw a wall of water between them, concentrating as much as I could. The panicking crowd had stopped their shouting, too shocked to speak.

All I could see was my dad staring at the tan-skinned man with graying brown hair approaching him. The fear in his eyes was obvious. He had no means of escape unless Happy got here in time. I had no other choice but to stop this guy before things got out of hand.

I ran down the race track so that I got close enough to see what was really going on. The man approaching dad had thrown one of his whips at the car, cutting half of it off. In a split second he threw the whip again, cutting the other half off. By now dad was making a feeble attempt at getting away.

"Leave him alone!" I suddenly shouted. The attacker suddenly whirled around, realizing that he was not alone. I rolled to the side as he threw a whip in my direction, narrowly avoiding getting shocked. I could hear dad's shouting in the background, but my attention was on the attacker.

That was when things started to go wrong. One of his whips suddenly grabbed me by the wrist. I held back a yelp of pain as energy coursed through me. This sort of pain was nothing compared to when I had put on that necklace. The man raised an eyebrow when I held on to the whip. With one strike I managed to throw a ball of fire directly into his face. By now dad had stopped his shouting, he was only staring at me in disbelief.

The man attacking me had released his grip, struggling to cool off his face. I didn't give him that chance. I started throwing fire ball after fire ball at him, relentless in my attacks. They didn't stop until he slumped to the ground, gasping for breath.

"You lose," I heard him groan in a Russian accent. The limo had approached us, and dad finally had the nerve to stand up.

"Ada, wait!" I didn't listen to their protests. By the time dad recovered from the shock I was already on the run.

I had to get away from here. As far away as possible, so they wouldn't get hurt. That was now my mission.

* * *

**AN: I tend to update at least three times a day. That schedule may change in a few weeks, so that's why I'm updating as quickly as possible. Also another thank you to Spinosa for reviewing! Love to read your reviews :)**


	15. Runaway

**Chapter Fifteen**

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_"When we were children we'd say, That we don't the meaning of Fear..." Fear, One Republic_

* * *

I'm not even sure how long I've been on the run. Maybe a few hours or so. Everywhere I went there was only more confusion, because this wasn't home. This was France, and somehow I would have to make my way back to the United States.

Great. So not only was I now a fugitive, I was lost.

I had to stop running, at least to take a short break. By now I had reached a large city. It was late at night and the streets were fairly empty. Only a few people were walking by and giving me curious looks as I leaned against the wall of a shop.

What am I? Why didn't I think this through? I should have known that something like this would happen eventually.

Tears started forming at the edge of my vision, but I fought them back. I couldn't cry, not now. Right now I needed to be strong. I straightened up and started wandering again, only to stop when I reached a small apartment complex.

Peering inside the window I saw they had the news on. My eyes widened in horror when I saw images of myself on the screen. They were already talking about me, trying to decide whether or not I was a threat.

The panic I felt earlier suddenly returned. Surely they all thought I was some kind of monster. After all only a select few had known about my powers. Fury would be livid when he found out, if he wasn't already. I could imagine what he would say if I were in the office right now.

"So the little mouse decides to show her true self." My heart nearly skipped a beat when I heard the voice. It was barely a whisper, but I heard it loud and clear. Turning around I saw a tall looking man leaning towards me. But that wasn't what had made my heart beat even faster. It was the silver armor he was wearing.

Horror surged through me when I recognized who he was. He was part of the group that had killed those people. That meant... No, it couldn't be real. Maybe this was just a bad dream. Maybe I would wake up and find myself still in the hotel room, or even at the mansion.

"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady. The man smirked as he noticed how terrified I really was.

"You really don't know, do you?" He shook his head in mock disbelief. "I am a member of a society that tracks down people like you," he explained. "You see, we've been watching for signs, for anything to show up. It has been a very boring last few years."

I was about to make a retort when the air around us suddenly changed. The man's smirk faded as a helicopter began descending towards us. My moment of relief was short lived when I saw the SHIELD logo on the side of the copter. Low and behold it was Clint piloting the copter, with Coulson standing near the side clinging on for dear life. Nervously I looked back to where the man was, only to see that he had vanished.

"Get in," Coulson ordered over the roar of the engine. I looked at him in confusion before doing as I was told. There was no way I would disobey a direct order, at least if it came from Coulson. I hardly had time to notice that the man from earlier was still watching from the shadows.

The smirk returned as he watched the helicopter fly away, taking with it a precious cargo. "Let the hunt begin," he whispered.

. . .

"Tony!" He stopped his pacing when they reached the hotel lobby. By now a crowd was gathered inside, but he ignored them. Pepper's shouting was really starting to unnerve him. "Tony stop!" She suddenly pulled him back by the shoulder, and he turned to face her. "Do you want to tell me what's going on?" she demanded.

"I need to find her," he replied, trying to avoid her questioning gaze. "Look Peps, I never told you this but I did adopt her for a reason." Pepper raised an eyebrow. "But we need to discuss this in a more... private room," he added warily.

Before Pepper could protest he grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her into the nearest room. At least here there were no security cameras or paparazzi to watch over them.

"Okay Tony, what the hell is going on?" Pepper stopped so that she was facing him. She didn't look angry like he was expecting, only worried.

"You remember that night? When I got a phone call?" he asked once she calmed down. She nodded and he went on, "That was a call from Phil Coulson." Pepper's eyes lit up at the name. They both remembered Coulson all too well from when Iron Man was first announced.

"What does he have to do with Ada running away? And when what is she?" Pepper kept spitting out questions, making the situation even more awkward for poor Tony. He let out a sigh of frustration until she stopped talking, confused by his actions.

"Coulson was the one who told me to adopt her," he explained. "When he sent me the files on her and where she came from, I agreed." Pepper looked at him curiously this time. She had never seen him this worried before. "We need to find her, before _they_ do."

This time it was Pepper's turn to let out a sigh of irritation.

"Okay, who is _they_?" she asked.

. . .

The helicopter had landed on a SHIELD facility not far from the location of Doctor Banner. I was surprised that they even had a base way out in South America. Then again from what I've gathered SHIELD was pretty much everywhere.

By now it was early morning, and I was exhausted. To the point where it felt like I might pass out. But I kept my eyes open just to make sure I didn't miss anything. Clint stayed by my side while Coulson went over what had happened with Director Fury.

"You okay?" I flinched when he finally found the courage to speak. Glancing up I actually saw concern in Clint's eyes.

"Honestly, I'm not," I murmured. "I didn't want everyone to know about... this." To emphasize what I meant, I formed a ball of fire in my hand. Clint raised an eyebrow as I put it out. "Now what are they going to think of me?"

"If they really love you they'll accept you." I looked at Clint in disbelief when he said that. "And if worse comes to worse you can stay with SHIELD," he added with a smirk.

Now he sounded like himself. I rolled my eyes and walked over to the small building Coulson had headed for. Almost as soon as I reached it the steel door slid open with a hissing noise. Sure enough Director Fury was the first to emerge, followed closely by Coulson.

"Ada, we think it's in our interests that you stay here for a while," Fury said once Phil and Clint left us alone. I glanced over at them warily, wishing that I could join them. "The press would have a field day if they got a hold of you, especially after what just happened."

Well, I suppose I did see that one coming. I was in no hurry to see dad or Pepper. Not when I knew exactly what they would say. Besides, this would give me a chance to start my mission with Bruce. Find his location and bring him to SHIELD.

Convincing him was not going to be an easy task. From what I gathered he was infected with gamma radiation. The amount of poison he received should've killed him. But somehow he had survived it, though it did do something to his body.

"So what now?" I asked as I followed him into the makeshift office.

It was a tiny space. I hated cramped spaces; it made me feel like there was only one escape if there was ever an emergency. Worst of all there were no windows to look outside. Only monitors laid out in the room, giving me a view of the jungle that lay beyond this base.

"We've found the location of Doctor Banner," Fury explained once the door sealed shut. "He's in Ecuador." A file was pulled up. I raised an eyebrow as a man appeared on the screen, looking like he was trying to hide himself in a large crowd. He was wearing a hat and coat that covered most of his face.

"So why is he on the run?" I studied the file closely, memorizing what he looked like. This would come in handy when I was actually out on the field.

"Doctor Banner used what he thought was a super soldier serum on himself," he told me. I nodded, eying the footage that was being shown. Sure enough he was using the serum on himself as a last minute test. "Something went horribly wrong, or in his case, maybe horribly right."

I winced as the footage began getting shaky. The loud roar of a creature could be heard as the footage blacked out. Seconds later and we were left staring at an empty looking hospital room covered in debris.

"So the military is after his blood?" I suggested. I zoomed in on the file, recognizing some of the names on the list. Dad had once supplied weapons to this unit. "What does General Ross want with this kind of serum anyways?" I didn't mean to ask the question out loud, but curiosity had gotten the better of me.

"The super soldier serum was one of the finest inventions ever created, next to air conditioning." That made me smirk. Fury was right about that. Who knew where we'd be without air conditioning. Or technology for that matter. "But if it ever fell into the wrong hands, it could become a dangerous weapon. The military sought to use it for their own gain."

My mouth formed an 'o' shape to show that I understood.

"I'm not entirely sure how you expect a sixteen year old to convince someone on the run to join SHIELD," I sighed after looking away.

Fury sat down, and I did the same after realizing how tired I really was. I hadn't slept since the night before. But I was too wired on what was about to happen to get any decent sleep.

"Look, I hate to say it but I chose you for this mission for a reason," he told me. I looked at him curiously this time as he leaned against the back of his chair. "You two are very similar. You're both runaways looking for a better life. You both want to help people, and you want society to accept you."

I eyed him warily before realizing that he was right. I did want to feel accepted. I did want to help people.

Gripping the edge of my seat, I understood where he was getting at with this. Bruce was more likely to trust a teenager with similar background than a random adult on the streets. I would still need to approach him carefully, but at least we could hopefully come up with a mutual understanding.

"Okay," I murmured. "But on one condition. We do this my way."

. . .

I was surprised Fury had let me do things my way. After finally getting some sleep (after being forced by both Coulson and Fury), I left early the following morning.

With a quick change in clothes and a small bag over my shoulder, I made my way to the last location Banner had been found in. The clothes I wore would hopefully help me blend in with the crowd and the environment.

The city was huge compared to what I was used to. Homes were built into the mountains and overlooked one another. The people themselves kept well enough away from me, which was fine by me. After all I was only here for one person out of a population of thousands.

"Are you sure this is where he was last seen?" I asked as I reached what looked like a dangerous part of the city. Then again half of the city looked this way.

"Positive, now keep your voice down," Clint replied through the earpiece.

I rolled my eyes and shut it off as a crowd wandered past me. I needed to concentrate.

There were times when I wished I had super hearing or could read minds. That would make for a much easier time in a place like this. Though it would be difficult to pinpoint just one mind in a crowd like this.

"¿Te has perdido?" I whirled around at the sound of the voice, fists raised just in case. But to my surprise it was just a young looking woman with long dark brown hair staring back at me, confusion written all over her face.

"No, no estoy," I replied with a shake of my head.

The woman simply smiled before going on with her business. I waited until she was gone to start writing down notes. Being able to speak several languages was a huge advantage, especially in a place like this.

Finally after wandering for what felt like hours once again, I spotted what I was looking for. It looked like the only place where you could find a paying job around here. A warehouse that distributed drinks of some sort. Glancing around to make sure no one was watching, I opened the door and made my way inside.

"Disculpe, estoy buscando a alguien." I reached what appeared to be a well dressed man, and judging by the badge he was wearing he appeared to be the boss. "¿El nombre Bruce Banner suena familiar?"

The man eyed me carefully before nodding. By now it looked like most of the employees were getting ready to leave. The boss had called out Bruce's name, and sure enough he appeared around a corner. I just kept my distance. I didn't want to spook him.

"This is Bruce Banner," the boss introduced the employee as he led him to me. Banner raised an eyebrow suspiciously when he caught sight of me. "Por cierto, ¿cómo has entrado aquí?"

"La puerta estaba cerrada con llave, lo siento," I quickly replied. Luckily the boss didn't make a big scene out of it. Turning to Bruce, I asked, "¿Podemos hablar afuera?" Bruce looked even more surprised at the question, and glanced warily at his boss.

The man simply shrugged and muttered, "mujeres."

I couldn't help but smirk at the comment. Bruce didn't even get the chance to object. Once outside the tension from earlier felt as though it had faded. I actually was fond of old buildings like that, but they also creeped me out for some reason.

"Habla usted Inglés?" I suddenly asked. Considering he used to work at a university I had no doubts he could speak English.

"Yes," he replied. "You know if you're here to kill me that would end badly, for everyone here," he suddenly added.

"I'm not here to kill you," I reassured him. "Actually I was kind of hoping that we could possibly get to know each other. Would you mind?"

Banner eyed me warily, as if trying to get a good read. I simply remained as calm as I could. Again I wish I could read minds, just to see whether or not he viewed me as a threat.

"Alright, fine. But you can't stay for long," he finally muttered in defeat.

That was enough for me. Hopefully it meant I'd have enough time to try and convince him to join SHIELD. Otherwise I'm not sure what Fury would say if I came back empty handed.

* * *

**AN: Well thanks to Peanut and acompletenerd I'm updating again :D Thank you so much for your reviews, I really appreciate them! Also, I translated this from Google Translate, and it's in Spanish, so I apologize if there are any mistakes.**


	16. Nightmares

**Chapter Sixteen**

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_"I made my castle tall I built up every wall, This is my kingdom and it needs to fall I want You and no one else..." More Of You, Colton Dixon_

* * *

"So, where are you from?" We were making our way through a crowded marketplace; Banner was leading me to what looked like a dingy looking alley. Fortunately he wasn't making things anymore awkward than they needed to be. We had light conversations on the way back to what I assumed was his place.

Although for all I knew he could be leading me to my doom. Like I said, I really wish I had the power to read minds. But Bruce didn't seem like the type of person to do that. In fact he seemed happy to speak to another person who could speak English.

"California," I replied. Truthfully I didn't know where I was born. All I did know was that my mother didn't want to keep me. She had given me up at the orphanage, and strangely I was okay with that.

"So what would a random citizen from the United States want with me?" We had reached a shady looking dealer with a truck parked behind him. I raised an eyebrow as Bruce spoke in the native language once again before handing the dealer some money.

"Was that a drug deal I just witnessed?" I asked as we walked away.

"It's nothing," he replied in a stern tone.

Okay than, guess I wasn't supposed to know. Though something told me it had something to do with the gamma poisoning he suffered from.

We slowly made our way down several flights of stairs until we reached the top of an old looking building. Again Bruce looked over his shoulder, than his gaze flickered towards me. All of a sudden I knew what he was thinking.

"Look kid, you shouldn't be following me here." He looked pointedly at me.

An idea struck me. Without even thinking about it I made myself look smaller, hoping I put on a good show. Guilt, one of the greatest emotions to play with.

"I'm lost," I whimpered.

If he did feel guilty he didn't show it. Instead he pinched the bridge of his nose, taking deep breaths before speaking again.

"Alright fine, but you're staying here for one night, and that's it," he snapped.

I let out a sigh of relief as he led the way into the building. It wasn't bad looking for a home. For someone who worked in a factory there were far worse places to live in.

All in all there was a sofa placed in one corner of the room, a small bed in the other corner, and a tiny kitchen with just a fridge, stove and sink. I spotted a desk placed in front of the window not far from the kitchen, and an old looking TV was placed in front of the sofa.

When I was finished taking everything in, I noticed a medium sized dog greeting him as he set things down.

"There's a snack in the fridge if you're hungry," he offered once he was finished giving the dog something to eat.

"I'm fine," I replied with a shrug. "So, who's your friend?" I rubbed the dog between the ears, and he seemed to enjoy that.

Dad had never had any pets aside from Dummy the robot. So I never had the chance to experience what it was like having a pet. But seeing him now made me almost wish we could have pets. Even a goldfish would be nice to have.

"He doesn't really have a name," Bruce muttered. He pulled out a laptop and started typing away. I kept my distance, knowing that it might look suspicious if I started looking over his shoulder. "Speaking of which, I don't have yours," he suddenly added.

"Oh, sorry," I murmured after realizing that he was right. "Ada, my name is Ada." Bruce raised an eyebrow at that.

"Do you have a last name?" he asked. While he was talking he grabbed what he had bought from the shady dealer. I was surprised to see a pretty looking white flower pulled out of the package. Banner eyed the flower with awe before taking it over to the small table in the kitchen.

"Erm, not really," I admitted. "I don't know where I came from, or who my parents are." At least I was telling the truth, partly. That seemed to catch his attention.

"So your parents are dead." I watched as he cut the flower he had purchased into pieces.

It was something that had never actually been confirmed. I didn't know what had happened to them. Though right now all I could think of was trying to convince Bruce to return with me to SHIELD. Something told me it would be easier to find my parents.

"What are you doing?" I asked curiously.

Bruce looked at me warily before returning to the desk, leaving the laptop behind. Cautiously I made my way over to the laptop. I noticed from a distance that it read some conversation between 'Mr. Green' and 'Mr. Blue'.

"I'm working on something," he explained as he continued with his work. "If my theory is correct, this should help with my... condition."

A message suddenly appeared on the laptop screen. I raised an eyebrow when I saw what it read. "Make sure you use enough of a dose," replied Mr. Blue.

Enough of a dose? Was Bruce trying to cure the gamma poisoning? Now he was looking through a telescope after taking a blood sample.

With one final look over at Bruce I decided to leave him to his work and sat on the sofa. The dog joined me shortly after, begging for some attention. I couldn't help but smile sheepishly as I rewarded him for his behavior.

This guy needed a name. I think I'll name him Trigger, since that's kind of what he reminds me of. Trigger fell asleep beside my feet. I glanced over to where Bruce was sitting and noticed a frustrated look on his face. He finally noticed that I was staring and frowned.

"It didn't work." He tossed what was left of the plant into the trash. I was tempted to go and comfort him, but I fought off the urge. This was his problem, and he needed to learn how to deal with it.

"I know it's not in my place to ask but, why are you doing this?" Finally I decided to get up and see what he was up to. Quickly he turned the screen so that I couldn't see it. Not that I blamed him or anything.

"Look, it isn't something you would understand," he replied. "Let's just say that it could be the cure I'm looking for."

I raised an eyebrow and looked back to where Trigger was sleeping. Maybe I shouldn't be part of this.

"I'm doing this because I don't want to hurt anyone," he put in when he noticed my skeptical look. "Before I got here I..." He cut himself off when he realized what he was about to say.

"Bruce..." Hesitantly I put a hand on his shoulder, not really sure what to say. I knew what it was like to be seen as a monster. I'm sure everyone thought I was some kind of monster now.

"It's nothing," he sighed. "Look it's getting late. You should really get some rest for tomorrow." He closed the laptop lid and looked at me cautiously.

Holding back a sigh of frustration I realized that he was probably right. I wouldn't get anywhere if I kept this up. So I returned to the sofa where Trigger was now sleeping, happy to share the sofa with him. This was going to be an interesting night.

. . .

"...Ada... Ada..." My eyes fluttered open as I heard my name being called.

Something was off. I could already sense that as I found myself standing in the middle of an empty room. Panic set in; there was no way out. No doors could be seen, only utter blackness. And yet somehow this place seemed oddly familiar.

"It's good to see you again, Ada." The voice sounded closer this time. I blinked several times when a swirl of clouds erupted in front of me, until the image of an eerily familiar woman stood in front of me.

"Where... where am I?" I demanded, trying to find the strength in my voice. The fact that a woman I had seen haunting my dreams so often was standing in front of me should scare me. But for some reason I felt comforted by her presence.

"Do not be alarmed. This is only a dream," she explained. "It is my way of communicating with you."

I took a step back when I realized that she was right. The blackness was replaced with blue sky. Soon I could see the ocean, and a very familiar mansion in the background. What I saw made my heart nearly skip a beat.

Dad was inside what looked like a destroyed living room, talking with agent Coulson and Director Fury. I was even more surprised to see Natalie standing beside Fury. Her arms were folded as she glared down at dad.

"How is this happening?" My voice dropped to a whisper. I looked up to see the woman standing in front of me again.

"Ada, there is something that you must know," she replied. "Your life is in danger."

Well that was no surprise. After joining SHIELD and finding out that dad was Iron Man, I had pretty much gotten used to that.

"I think I can handle it," I muttered under my breath.

The woman frowned when I said that. "You do not understand," she tried telling me. "There are those who wish for your-" She never got the chance to finish.

All I could do was let out a scream when she fell to the ground, clutching at her stomach. She looked up at me, a pleading gaze written all over. But I couldn't move. I was helpless as I watched her bleed out.

. . .

Someone was shaking my shoulder. By now my voice had become hoarse. The shaking only got worse, until finally my eyes snapped open. I was back in the apartment. It took me a few seconds to register what had happened.

Bruce was standing over me, looking like he was having a panic attack.

"What the hell was that?" he demanded when I started to recover. I noticed the heart rate monitor strapped to his wrist. No wonder he was so anxious. He probably didn't want to 'lose control' again.

"It was nothing," I gasped, struggling to control my rapid breathing. Bruce looked at me doubtfully, and in a split second I had to come up with a lie. "It was just a nightmare."

Suddenly he started pacing as I grabbed my notebook from the bag I had taken with me. I'm glad I brought it, this was one dream I needed to remember. It was until I finished writing down every detail that I noticed the veins starting to show on his forehead.

"You see, this is why I shouldn't let anyone stay," he pointed out as he finally calmed down. Even Trigger was hiding under the bed.

"Kid, where the hell are you?" I flinched when I heard Clint's voice through the earpiece. I had almost forgotten that I was still wearing it. But hadn't I turned it off?

"This isn't a good time Clint," I whispered, hoping Bruce wouldn't catch that. Luckily he didn't. He was still far enough away that he wouldn't hear us.

"You turned your com down," he said in an accusing tone. "Did you find him?" I glanced back over to Bruce. He was sitting on the bed, taking a deep breathing exercise to keep himself calm.

"Yeah, I found him. Look, I have to go." Before Clint could argue I turned off the earpiece once again.

He was going to kill me when I got back. But right now I had bigger things to worry about. Finally Bruce stood up and grabbed what looked like a box that would be taken to the post office.

"I need to run a delivery, are you fine on your own?" He glanced between me and Trigger as the dog joined me.

"I'll be fine," I reassured him.

Once he was gone I finally broke down. Trigger rested his chin on my legs as I fought back the tears that threatened to overwhelm me. These nightmares were only getting worse. I couldn't even tell if they were real or not.

Seeing that same woman die twice... it was almost too painful to watch.

I started looking back at the notes I had written from my previous dreams. It was true that they were getting worse. Each dream someone had died or was close to dying. The group of people that woman had come from slowly died off. But I wanted to know why they were being hunted.

What made them so special from other humans or mutants with powers?

"Alright kid, time for you to go back." I looked up to see Bruce had returned, this time with a bag of food and what looked like a map of South America.

"How is that going to help me?" I asked just for the fun of it.

"Look, I'm not gonna lie," he sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "There are those who might be looking for me... who might put you in harms way if you stick around with me. I don't want you putting your life in danger because of me."

Quickly I grabbed my notebook and stuffed it in my bag. "But what if I get lost again on my own?" I asked in an innocent voice. "I'll need someone who can escort me out of the city."

Bruce folded his arms and glared at me. It was the first time I had ever seen him anger, at least in the few hours I'd met him.

"No."

"Please?" When it didn't look like he would budge, I put on a poker face instead. "Okay fine, I'll go," I sighed in defeat. "But at least let me stay for one last night. It's getting late already." I glanced out the window to see that I was right.

Wow, had that much time really pass already? How long had I been out?

"Fine," he muttered crossly. "But only one more day."

I fought back a triumphant grin as he greeted Trigger and opened up the laptop again. Once I knew I had one more night I couldn't resist peering over his shoulder again.

He was communicating with Mr. Blue. It seemed like they were both trying to find a cure to his 'condition'. I tilted my head to one side when Mr. Blue admitted that he needed more blood samples. Bruce furrowed his eyebrows in frustration.

When I realized I was stepping over the line I backed away. There was only so much I could do, and he. If he did manage to send more blood samples it could be turned against him. Worse, that could trigger the Other guy's appearance.

"Get some sleep," He muttered after slamming the laptop shut. "You're leaving first thing tomorrow."

I glanced at him warily before nodding in agreement. We did come up with that deal. I only hoped that by tomorrow I could somehow convince him to join SHIELD. And possibly forget those nightmares that kept haunting my dreams.

* * *

**AN: All right, one last update for the night. A huge thanks to acompletenerd and Guest for reviewing! And big shout out to acompletenerd, thank you again! Believe me when I say it's tough to get reviews, especially if you're not well known on FF.**


	17. Hopeless Wanderer

**Chapter Seventeen**

* * *

_"You heard my voice I came out of the woods by choice, Shelter also gave their shade But in the dark I have no name..." Hopeless Wanderer, Mumford and Sons_

* * *

A low growl formed in the back of Trigger's throat. For most of the night I had stayed awake. I couldn't sleep. I was terrified of getting nightmares again like the last one. And now Trigger was pacing at the door, his neck fur standing on end as he caught wind of something.

Bruce had caught the growl as well. Quickly I grabbed my bag and swung it over my shoulder. Something told me that this was about to go south fast.

"Out through the back window," he suddenly ordered. I looked at him in confusion before understanding what he meant.

"You go. I can distract them," I told him. Bruce looked at me as if he was about to argue when he thought better of it. Once he was out of the window I went over to the bed so that I could keep hidden. The door was kicked open, and Trigger started barking at the men forcing their way through.

I hid behind the bed, careful not to get caught. Darts were thrown in my direction. They were poorly aimed at the pillow. And suddenly I realized that the men had likely used tranquilizer darts. Before I knew what I was doing, I stood up.

With one good kick I sent the first man flying across the room. All their attention was on me as I took out the second sniper. These men were pushovers compared to the SHIELD agents I've sparred with. Only a few were now standing. The strongest of them had managed to twist my wrist the wrong way, and I held back a yelp of pain as he smirked at me.

Despite the pain though I threw a ball of fire at him, knocking him off of his feet. Trigger's barking was relentless as more soldiers made their way into the room. By now I was backing towards the window, ignoring the stench of burning flesh that came from my last attacker.

In one swift motion someone had grabbed me by my sprained wrist and threw me against the wall. All the while Trigger was still barking, and suddenly the soldier that had attacked me shot him. Pure rage suddenly coursed through me when I saw what he had done. At that moment I had noticed that the ground was shaking. The soldiers had noticed it as well and started to back off, only to feel the ground give way under their feet.

'_Ada stop_,' a voice suddenly warned me. '_You must not use that power_. _You are not ready_.'

It took me a few seconds to recognize the voice. Almost at once I calmed down and started to run back to the window. I needed to get out of here before they recovered. At the very least I had slowed them down, giving Bruce enough time to escape.

As soon as my feet touched the ground I started running.

Eyes were everywhere as far as I could see. In that moment I knew that the military had arrived. They were here to take Bruce, and I couldn't let that happen. I'd be going against my own orders, but I needed to keep him safe.

Finally I could see Bruce was sprinting towards the factory. All of a sudden I knew what was trying to do.

He wanted to avoid these people without hurting them. I glanced over my shoulder to see that the soldiers were following me. With a roll of my eyes I decided to leave a smoke trail to block their view. It was the one benefit of being able to control fire.

I didn't stop running until we reached the factory. Bruce was already inside, and the military was waiting for him on all corners of the building.

Carefully I made my way into the building, avoiding getting caught in the process. The last thing I wanted was SHIELD trying to save my ass again. Fury would never let me live it down if that happened.

When I did reach the inside I could hear the rapid beeping of a heart monitor. As I got closer I spotted Bruce trying to avoid a fight against three thugs. If things got out of hand the 'Other Guy' might just attack.

Without thinking about it I began to fling water at the three thugs. What looked like the leader of the gang whirled around when he realized what was happening. Bruce had finally ceased his struggling; by now the heart rate monitor had stopped beeping.

My feet were frozen to the ground as one of the men was grabbed by something large. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. I didn't realize that one of the soldiers had fired a dart at me. The last thing I heard before blacking out was a distant roar.

. . .

When I woke up I found myself in the middle of a clearing in a jungle. As the fogginess in my head cleared I realized that Bruce was laying next to me, fast asleep. His pants were still on but fit loosely. I had to rub my eyes a few times to wake myself up.

The sedative had knocked me out. All I could remember was falling down and hearing a roar in the distance. The soldiers that had attacked us vanished without a trace. I could only assume that the creature who attacked them wiped them out.

Taking a deep breath, I decided to try and calm my rapid heartbeat with some deep breathing exercises. It was the one thing that had always calmed me down during those terrible nightmares.

Finally Bruce began to stir as I was just about to finish. "'bout time you woke up," I muttered while opening one eye. Bruce looked at me warily before rubbing his forehead.

"How long was I out?" he groaned as he stood up.

"A few hours, give or take," I replied. "We're somewhere near Mexico now," I added after having looked at my phone before he woke up.

For once it looked like Bruce didn't know what to say to that. While he contemplated over what he would do next, I thought of my own future that lay ahead of me. I was far from ready to return home. Something told me dad wouldn't be so accepting once I got back.

I really did have nowhere else to go aside from SHIELD. Maybe I should take Clint's offer in staying.

"You know when we were back in that factory," Bruce began, and I suddenly knew where this was going. "Those men were getting attacked by water." He raised an eyebrow when he looked up at me. "It was like someone was actually _controlling_ the water."

Glancing down at the ground, I suddenly realized that I would need to explain myself.

"That someone was me," I whispered. Bruce raised an eyebrow skeptically. "When I was nine I discovered that I could control fire." To show him what I meant, I formed a small fireball in my hand. "Six years later I discovered that I could also control water."

I couldn't help but smile fondly at the memory. At first I had been terrified knowing that I could do these things. But now it came naturally for me. Now I couldn't imagine my life without these gifts.

"So you control the elements," he suggested. This time it was my turn to look at him skeptically.

I wasn't sure. Back in his apartment the ground had started shaking. But that could've been anything. Yet I couldn't forget the voice that had told me to calm down. Once I did the ground had stopped shaking. Maybe he was right.

"I don't know," I admitted with a shrug.

"So why did you really pay me a visit than? You could easily take care of yourself," he pointed out in an accusing tone.

"Look, let's just say that I've been sent here to help." I bit the bottom of my lip, realizing how lame that sounded. Thankfully he seemed to buy that though, if only for now until he found a way out of this mess.

"Alright, first thing's first, we need to get to Mexico, than find a ride back home," he muttered after rubbing his face a few times.

I nodded at that. We did need to find a way home. But which home was Bruce talking about? The one back in Ecuador, or back in the United States?

We started wandering through the jungle until we reached an unpaved road. I've learned by now that most of the roads around here weren't paved or hardly used. It made the area look even less civilized, which I actually liked.

At least there was some part of the world that wasn't overpopulated with humans. Here I could see signs of wildlife moving throughout the forest. Maybe a wildcat had made it's way to the river to get a drink a few hours ago.

A local farmer had pulled aside when he noticed us walking down the dusty road. I couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief when he offered us a ride. Though he looked at us strangely, he was kind enough to give us a ride for a small fee.

In a few hours we had reached Mexico, and finally I could relax as I was surrounded by a familiar city. Dad has been here before on a business trip and took me with him. But that had only been for two days, though it was enough to make me feel slightly safer. Bruce on the other hand looked put off by his surroundings.

"Hey, do you mind if we stop for a bit?" I asked when we reached an open market. It was bustling with activity, and once again I was fascinated with all the different objects that were being sold here.

"That's fine by me," he replied. "I've gotta look for a new pair of pants anyways." He added the last bit with a shrug.

"Bruce, where exactly do you need to go?" I suddenly asked. If I was about to do this than I'd need to know our next location. It meant making a risky move, but I doubted Clint would give away Banner's location if I explained things to him.

He looked at me warily before responding, "New York; that's where the data I need is."

With that we decided to create a meeting point in this spot until we were finished with our tasks. I was surprised Bruce had stayed around for as long as he did with me. After all I could be a liability for him.

Once he was gone I turned the earpiece on again. Hopefully Clint would actually pick up when I called him.

"This is Jimmy, temporarily filling in for Clint." I held back a groan when I heard Jimmy's voice.

"Jimmy, where's Clint?" I demanded once he realized who he was talking to.

"Said it was super secret SHIELD business, or something like that," he muttered. "Not a clue where birdbrain went."

I had to laugh at his latest jibe to Clint's codename. Though if I were Jimmy would keep those nicknames to myself. Clint could easily kill him if he wanted to, and I doubt Fury would miss him.

"So, do you think you can pick me up?"

There was a pause before he replied.

"What's your coordinates?" I could hear him typing away in the background.

Quickly I gave him the location, not wanting to waste anymore time. Bruce was already suspicious enough. If he saw me talking through an earpiece than he might know that something was up. I was gonna have to lie low for the next few days if I wanted this mission to end successfully.

"Alright, I'm sending a pilot to your location," he warned me.

"Jimmy, make sure it doesn't have a SHIELD logo on it." He wasn't sure what to say to that. Instead he responded with a fine before hanging up.

Finally I could relax as I waited for Bruce to return. Part of me wondered whether or not he would come back at all. After all he really had no need for me to stick around. Unless he really did want a ride back home.

After a few more minutes passed the sound of a helicopter echoed in the air. I looked up and rolled my eyes when I saw who was piloting the copter. Sure enough it was Clint, looking rather pissed that he had to land in such a small area.

People around me started to run in different directions. We were far enough away from the market, but close enough that it caused a small problem.

"Do you have any idea how annoyed I am?" he demanded once the engine shut off.

"Well you still came back so... not too annoyed I would guess," I replied with a sheepish grin. The glare he gave me was priceless. He was about to speak again when Bruce joined us, eyes narrowed once he spotted Clint.

"What the hell is this?" He glared at both me and Clint. Clint just returned the glare with one of his own.

"Our ride," I explained. "Don't worry, he's a friend," I added when Bruce looked back at Clint warily.

"I wouldn't go that far kid," he scoffed. But still he gave Bruce a handshake nonetheless. "Name's Clint, I'll be your pilot for today."

Reluctantly Bruce followed us into the helicopter, put off by the fact that a stranger was the pilot. I couldn't blame Bruce for hating me right now. But this was the best way to reach his destination. If he wanted to get to New York in a day, Clint was his best option.

. . .

"You owe me for this," Clint muttered as we finally landed in the middle of a field.

Again I rolled my eyes at the remark. We had flown on in awkward silence most of the trip until Clint began complaining about how much trouble he would be in upon his return. Honestly there were times when I really admired the guy and really hated him.

"Look, if the boss yells at you you can hide in the bathroom for the rest of the day." With a pat on the back I unbuckled my seat belt and jumped out of the helicopter. Bruce just eyed me cautiously before doing the same. "Thanks again Clint," I added before he started up the engine again.

For once he actually grinned back. With a salute to both me and Bruce, he pulled up and flew away.

Bruce wasted no time in leading the way again, knowing where he needed to go. I was quick to follow, eager to see what he was up to now.

"Is your friend always like that?" he asked.

"More or less," I replied with a shrug. "Really there are times when I think he's just a big baby."

I was surprised when Bruce actually laughed at that remark. It was the first time I had heard his laughter, and it was a nice change in pace. The mood had lightened surprisingly quickly between us. I wondered if it had something to do with the fact that I was sticking around.

Soon we reached what looked like a pizzeria in a small college town called Stanley's. Even though the sign was closed Bruce knocked on the door anyways. Moments later and the door was answered by an elderly man. His eyes widened when he recognized Bruce.

"Bruce, come in!"

I glanced over my shoulder warily before following them inside. I couldn't even remember the last time I'd been in a place like this. Normally I didn't go with dad when he went out with Rhodes to talk. Unless of course it had something to do with the company.

We were led into the kitchen so that Bruce could properly explain himself. The building itself had a classic 1920s look to it, with bar stools on one side and tables on the other. Stanley had closed the steel window that overlooked the dining area while Bruce started speaking.

"Stan, I give you my word. Whatever they said about me isn't true." Stan looked at Bruce warily before letting out a sigh.

"No, I always knew it, you know how I always felt about you two." He glanced over to me, eyes narrowing slightly. Suddenly I was aware of what he was thinking. I took a few steps back just to prove my point.

Bruce and I were merely acquaintances, nothing more.

"Have you talked to her?" I wondered what Stan meant by 'her'. Could it be that Betty person I'd read about in the SHIELD files?

"No," Bruce admitted. I could hear the guilt in his voice, "she doesn't know I'm here."

"She is with somebody, a head shrink, a nice guy," Stan told him, though I could see the disgust written on his face.

A shrink was the last person I'd want to deal with. Especially with everything going on right now. Bruce put on a fake smile, and I suddenly understood why he was so guilty. He must have liked this Betty person before leaving her.

"Good, good," he replied. "Do you think you could spare us a bed or two for a few nights?" He glanced over at me, and I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"You can have the spare room upstairs." Stan looked at me once more before shaking his head.

"That's be great, thank you," Bruce murmured as he ran his fingers along his hair.

"Is there anything else I can do?" Stanley asked.

I shook my head, but Bruce suddenly spoke again, "Actually I have a plan... but I'll need two pizzas and a delivery uniform."

. . .

Bruce had gone back to the university to collect the data. Meanwhile I stayed back and started going through my bag again. Stanley had started washing the dishes while Bruce was away. When he was finished he suddenly looked at me accusingly.

"You're that kid I saw on the news, aren't you?" he asked. I raised an eyebrow and looked at him warily. "The one adopted by Tony Stark," he added.

"Oh yeah... that..." I looked down at my notebook, suddenly aware that he was staring at me as if expecting me to attack him. I hadn't realized how worn and tethered my notebook looked until now. How long had I kept this thing?

"So what exactly are you? Some kind of mutant?" His question caught me by surprise.

So many people had asked the same question, but I could never answer them. I had no idea what I was. Maybe I was an alien of some kind. Or possibly I was a mutant and didn't know it yet. Either way I couldn't really be sure.

"It's not exactly something I like to talk about," I replied with a shake of my head.

Thankfully he left it at that. When we were finished talking he led me to the room in question. It was a small room with two beds, but that was more than enough for me.

"Thanks again," I murmured as I dropped my bag on the bed.

"Not a problem," Stan replied. "A friend of Bruce is a friend of mine." He added the last part with a smile, and I couldn't help but smile back.

Once Stanley had left I closed the door and flopped on the bed, thankful to have something soft to sleep on. For once I might actually get some decent sleep. I could only hope that would be the case for tonight.

* * *

**AN: Apologies for not updating all day. I've been busy, and this may be the only update for today. So thanks Spinosa for reviewing! If I get more than one review I might update again ;)**


	18. Confessions

**Chapter Eighteen**

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_"I've been running so fast, trying to get back to the start. I've been holding so tight, but it all just comes me in, break me down, make me new and bring me, Closer to Your heart..." Closer To Your Heart, Natalie Grant_

* * *

"You find anything interesting?" Bruce froze in midstep when he tried moving as quietly as possible. I couldn't help but smirk at his surprise.

"Everything is gone, all wiped clean, we should start moving again tomorrow," he explained.

"Sounds like a plan," I murmured drearily.

"Get some rest, you'll need it." Bruce got into the other bed, but he paused when he seemed to think of something. "What were you and Stanley talking about?" he suddenly asked.

"You heard?"

"Kind of." I didn't miss the wary look in his eyes.

Looking down at the floor, I realized where this was going. If he had heard most of that than he knew who I really was. Better to tell him part of the truth now than wait until it was too late. He might just turn into the 'Other Guy' if I told him about SHIELD.

The only idea that came to me was to keep on a poker face.

"Most people have learned by now that I'm Tony Stark's adopted daughter," I explained in a nervous tone. I bit the bottom of my lip when Bruce narrowed his eyes once again. "But on my birthday things kind of went... bad." Looking back at it, I grimaced at the memory.

I could have hurt those people. What if I had? The more I thought about the more I wanted to swallow the vile forming in my throat.

"I used my powers in the public, to stop some guy from killing him." Again I swallowed as I thought of what dad would think of me now. Even Pepper; she probably did think I was a monster of some sort. "After that I ran; I couldn't face them after what had happened."

By now I was fighting back the tears that threatened to overwhelm me. I had abandoned them after all. They probably believed I went behind their backs or something. The guy that had attacked them was likely captured and no longer posed a threat.

"Ada..." Bruce stopped himself from saying what needed to be said. It took him a few seconds to gather the courage and find the right words. "Ada, I know what you're thinking," he murmured in a soothing tone. "Compared to me, you're not a monster."

He held out a hand and held on to mine. For the first time I realized that he was trying to be gentle. And to my relief, it was working. I spotted the heart monitor he had purchased before returning to the building. Memories of that night in Ecuador suddenly came rushing back.

"Neither are you, Bruce." I couldn't help but smile as I locked gazes with him. Confusion was written all over his face. "No matter what they say about you, you're not a monster," I explained. "You... the Other Guy could've killed me, but he didn't." Bruce looked taken aback by what I said. "Speaking of the '_Other Guy_', I think he needs a name," I added.

This time I actually thought I saw a smile. But it disappeared so quickly that I wasn't sure.

"So what exactly do you have in mind?" he asked. After looking at the SHIELD files of what the 'Other Guy' supposedly looked like, I had a pretty good idea.

"How about the Hulk?" I suggested.

Bruce raised an eyebrow at that. At first it looked like he was going to turn it down. In a few seconds though the smile returned, and I couldn't help but grin back.

"Alright, the Hulk it is." Suddenly he flipped the light switch. I had almost forgotten it was off until now. "We should get moving again," he murmured.

"What's wrong?" I grabbed my bag and pulled my hair back into a ponytail, suddenly aware that he must have seen something or someone.

"Truth be told I may have seen someone when I was at the university," he explained as we left the room.

As quietly as we could we made our way down the stairs. I was hoping to thank Stan for letting us use that room. Really he seemed like a nice older gentlemen, caring about the college professors like they were his own children.

But when we reached the restaurant part of the building, I noticed something was off. Nervously I peered around the corner to see a woman around Bruce's age talking to Stan. Beside her was a man around the same age, who I could only assume was her boyfriend. He had her arm wrapped around his hand, similar to the way Emmet and I had acted a few weeks ago.

I didn't miss the worried look flashing in Bruce's eyes. He didn't even bother thanking Stan. Instead he headed for the backdoor. I glanced back to the door and saw that Stan was watching me carefully. The woman was following Stan's gaze and started talking again, this time asking a question.

She never got the chance to see me as I made my way back to the exit. Bruce was already gone, leaving me to catch up with him.

"Ada, where are you?" I stopped in midstep when I heard Clint's voice through the earpiece.

"This isn't exactly a good time," I muttered crossly. In that moment I could hear the sound of footsteps shuffling in the background, followed by a loud huff of annoyance. "Keep huffing like that and you might blow the house down," I added in a joking tone.

"You mind telling me what you're doing back in the states?" My heart nearly skipped a beat when Fury's voice boomed through the earpiece. Now I could see why Clint was so annoyed.

"It's kind of a long story," I admitted.

"Well you can talk about it over breakfast." Before I could ask what I meant I held back a groan. Sure enough a helicopter was on it's way once again. All I could do was hope that Bruce didn't feel like I had betrayed him.

. . .

Fury was waiting for me at the one place I never expected to be again. The helicopter flight had lasted for what felt like hours. Of course the pilot had refused to talk, being someone I didn't know very well. I guessed that Fury had grounded Clint after his latest escapade.

"What's going on? Why am I here?" I demanded when the helicopter made a landing.

The mansion looked like it had gone through a twister. At least from what I could see inside. Shattered windows and debris could be made out inside. What the hell was dad doing while I was gone? Throwing wild parties?

"You're father's been going through some... emotional times," Fury muttered with a roll of his eye. "I thought that seeing you might change his attitude."

I bit the bottom of my lip, suddenly feeling guilty. Had he really changed that much just because of me? No, there had to be more to this than Fury was letting on. I wasn't ready to see dad just yet. Not after what I had done at the race track.

But it seemed I didn't have much of a choice. Fury led me inside, avoiding the broken glass. All the while I was fiddling with my fingers as I tried to come up with some excuse. The realization that this was happening had only just dawned on me.

When we got inside my heart almost skipped a beat. Dad was sitting inside. His face was buried in his hands while Phil Coulson started talking to him, sounding more frustrated than ever. Coulson's eyes widened when he spotted me. He put a hand on dad's shoulder, and finally dad looked up to see what was going on.

"Ada..." The name came out as a whisper, and I rubbed my arm in embarrassment.

"Hey, dad," I murmured. I was still unsure of what to say after everything I've been going through.

Before I could protest he suddenly got up and wrapped me in his arms. Neither Fury or Coulson said anything. They were just as surprised as I was by his actions. Never had they seen Stark look so broken until now.

"Ada I thought... I thought I lost you," he admitted. Guilt stabbed at my heart as I looked at him. He really was a mess. It looked like he hadn't showered in a few days, grease stained his clothes, and from what I could gather this had only happened recently.

"You're not angry with me?" I looked at him skeptically.

"Why would I be angry?" He stared at me in confusion. I glanced over my shoulder at Fury, who let out a small cough to catch dad's attention. His eyes were still fixed on me when Fury finally spoke.

"We'll give you two a few minutes to catch up," he announced.

I nodded to him gratefully as both he and Coulson left the building. This was something I needed to talk about in private. Maybe dad would understand what I was going through if I told him the truth.

"You remember that day, at the race track?" I asked. When he nodded I held back a sigh. "According to Director Fury I am able to control both fire and water, maybe even more elements," I explained after I led him back to the sofa.

"Wait, how exactly do you know about Fury?" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.

"We'll get back to that later," I mumbled. "Look, I've been having these... nightmares. About people who were like me." Dad looked like he was about to ask what I meant by were, than thought better of it. "But they were hunted down because of their gifts. The last one was a woman who had just had a baby." I swallowed back the tears that was starting to form as I remembered every detail. "Before she was killed she sent the baby away, but I'm not sure where."

Shock was written all over dad's face. After a few seconds he sat down to register what I had said. I knew what he was thinking, and the notion of it made my stomach twist.

"So you're telling me that that woman you saw in your dreams... she was your mother?" It came out as a question, but I understood what he meant by it. Taking a deep breath, I nodded.

"At least that's what I'm guessing," I replied with a shrug.

After a few more seconds of awkward silence, dad finally spoke again. "Is that why you ran away? You're afraid of your past." I didn't miss the accusing tone in his voice.

"Actually I was... afraid you wouldn't accept me." Admitting that hurt more than he could realize. All the times I thought they would never accept me for what had happened... they were too numerous to count.

Dad pulled me in closer for another hug. "I could never do that to you Ada," he whispered. "I'm not like my father. I love you."

Once again I was fighting back the tears that threatened to overwhelm me. It was the first time he had ever said that. I almost wished I had a recording device. Then again maybe Jarvis had recorded it. But in that moment I didn't care.

"Dad, there's something else I should tell you," I murmured. Before I could start I was interrupted by Coulson. Both dad and I glared at him as he joined us, ruining the moment.

A few agents I recognized began dragging in what looked like large boxes. Dad let out a sigh of frustration as Coulson started talking to him, pulling him aside to do so. Moments later and Coulson was joined by Director Fury.

"Agent Romanoff will continue acting as a liaison while you're working on this," Fury explained as I approached them. Agent Romanoff? "Coulson will stay here to make sure that you finish the job."

"What's going on?" I demanded as I tried figuring this out.

"Too much toxin from the Arch Reactor in his chest," Coulson replied while dad just glared at him. Something told me that he didn't want me to know. "That much toxin could have killed you." He looked at dad with a poker face.

"You were dying?" I nearly yelled. "You were freaking dying and you didn't have the nerve to tell anyone?"

Both Fury and Coulson raised an eyebrow as dad shrugged. Though I could see the guilt in his eyes as he walked over to me.

"Some things are better off left unsaid." I shrugged him off and glared.

"Does Pepper know?" Dad only shook his head, looking more guilty than ever. "She has a right to know," I muttered crossly. "She could be-" Coulson cut me off for a second time that day.

"Ms. Stark, you should really be going," he suggested. I was about to make a retort when I thought better of it. Fury would ground me if I fought back.

"Wait, where's she going?" Again dad looked confused as he glared back.

"She'll be fine Stark," Fury snapped. "Your daughter is more than capable of defending herself, believe it or not."

Dad looked at us all skeptically before pinching the bridge of his nose. Glancing back at Coulson, he simply shrugged and sat back down on the sofa.

Maybe I would tell him about SHIELD when he was ready. Right now it was obvious he had work to do. The last thing he needed right now was a distraction.

Once that was settled I followed Fury out of the building, leaving Coulson to deal with dad. That was going to be an interesting job. Last I checked dad didn't deal well with orders, especially when they were given by agents.

Fury led me to the car where a very annoyed Clint was waiting for us. A smirk fell across Fury's face as Clint ignored the look.

"You two have a mission to complete," Fury addressed us both. "Find Banner and bring him back. We need to have a little face to face chat."

I let out a sigh of relief at the mention of Bruce. So we weren't leaving him behind. But what would he think when he saw us? He would know that something was up. And I'm sure the Hulk wouldn't want a friendly chat with Fury.

Something told me that convincing Bruce to go with us was about as easy as convincing my dad to trust the government with his Iron Man suit.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the wait! But this chapter was probably my favorite so far :) And a huge thank you to everyone who reviewed so far! You guys are amazing!**

**To Maryyea - They probably won't be making an appearance until the next few chapters. I still have quite a bit of wrapping up to do until than, sorry :( But nonetheless they will be making an appearance, along with a few other characters from AOS.**

**In all thank you Maryyea, lizsielovesdr10 and McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon for reviewing!**


	19. Abomination

**Chapter Nineteen**

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_"We keep heading in the same direction. You've become my own reflection. Is that your soul that you're trying to protect? I always hoped that we would intersect, yeah..." Rebel Beat, Goo Goo Dolls_

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"Ross is going to be there, you know that," Clint said in a warning tone as we made our way to the military base. I was surprised Fury had asked Jimmy to go with us. He sat in the back seat while I sat up front with Clint.

"Remind me again why I was asked to join you two?" Jimmy asked.

"Back up," I replied before Clint could answer. The archer just glared at me but said nothing. "Come on, this is your first mission on the field too you know," I added in a more cheerful tone.

"Yeah, but going against the Hulk? I'm not exactly cut out for the field," he stated while clutching on to the seat for dear life. I smothered a laugh and looked back out the window.

According to Fury Bruce had been captured. We had no idea where Ross was taking him, but I could only assume the worse. Ross wanted the Hulk's blood, not Bruce. Once he got what he wanted he would toss Bruce aside like he was nothing.

I couldn't let that happen. Bruce was much more than just a snarling monster. After spending some time with him I had realized that he was also a scientist, and a good one at that. What the military was doing with him was wrong.

Suddenly the vehicle came to a halt. We had reached the base, but it was heavily guarded by armed soldiers. Immediately Clint shut off the engine as the guns were pointed at us. With a roll of my eyes I wasted no time in getting out to reach the helicopter.

Despite both Clint and Jimmy's protests the soldiers didn't fire. I could see the confusion turning into chaos as they tried stopping me. One of the soldiers suddenly grabbed me by the arm, but he never got the chance to speak. In seconds he was down on the ground, my hand holding him down as more soldiers approached us.

"Who are you?" one of them demanded.

"Ada Stark. Touch me again and you'll regret it," I added to the soldier that tried reaching out again.

The soldier in question eyed me suspiciously. Clint and Jimmy were waiting impatiently in the car, and I had no doubts that they wanted to step in. Luckily it was at that time General Ross showed up. The old man looked stern as usual when he approached us.

It seemed the SHIELD uniform I put on earlier that morning had taken an effect on Ross. After much discussion with both Fury and Clint, I had decided to take on the appearance of a SHIELD agent. Much to my distaste, and later the discomfort of Bruce. I had no idea how he would react when he found out.

"Alright fine, let her come," he muttered in an annoyed tone.

My eyes swept the area as I studied the soldiers. They seemed to calm down almost at once when Ross joined in. Something was wrong.

Without warning flames appeared at the palm of my hand. The soldiers' stoic positions turned to confusion and fear as I aimed my hand towards them. "Call off the tranquilizers, now!" I ordered.

A look of disdain flashed across the general's eyes. He glanced at the soldiers before pinching the bridge of his nose. "Stand down," he snapped.

The flame in my hand died down. Once the soldiers backed off I breathed out a sigh of relief. Ross was already making his way to the helicopter, and I wasted no time in following him. Glancing over my shoulder I gave both Clint and Jimmy a quick thumbs up to show that everything was fine.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of having your company? I assume that you were given full immunity to our operation." The look he gave me was an accusing one. I simply folded my arms and kept my eyes from straying away. One wrong move and he could have his soldiers fire at me again.

"Just all a matter of luck I suppose," I replied.

Ross's only response was a roll of his eyes. I simply ignored it and walked past him, brushing off any attempts at stopping me. When I reached the ramp to the helicopter I saw that Bruce and the woman from that night at the pizza parlor were there.

Before I knew what was happening the woman got out of her seat and gave me a hug. "You must be Ada," she murmured. "Bruce was just telling me about how you helped him get back." She eyed my SHIELD uniform warily as I dusted myself off uncomfortably.

"Erm, yeah." I was half embarrassed that she singled me out and half annoyed. That was when I saw Bruce sitting in the back of the helicopter. He was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees until he saw me.

"Ada, how did you..." He cut himself off when he noticed the SHIELD uniform as well.

"Let's just say I have friends in high places," I simply told him.

Bruce's only response was a nod as the woman sat beside him. He suddenly seemed to realize that I didn't know who she was, because he looked between her and me.

"Oh, Ada this is Betty Ross," he introduced her before she could speak up. Betty just smiled as I eyed her cautiously. She was related to that bastard of a general? "Betty you've already met Ada."

"Of course, it's a pleasure meeting you," Betty replied as we shook hands.

Bruce was about to say something else when Ross joined us. The smile Betty wore earlier suddenly faded. I could understand why she was so upset. If she had any relations to Ross than she probably hated him for what he did to Bruce.

"Let's take off then." The pilot did as he was ordered and started the engine.

In a matter of minutes the helicopter was up in the air. I could feel my heart beating rapidly as we started moving. To where I couldn't be sure.

"Start a fire in here and I will shoot you," Ross suddenly snapped when he glared at me. I only rolled my eyes when he wasn't looking. Betty raised an eyebrow while Bruce explained something in a low whisper, her eyes widening when she realized what Ross had meant by those words.

"Still think I can't take care of myself?" I asked to no one in particular.

"I never said you couldn't," Clint replied through the earpiece. I could almost hear the grin in his voice.

"So what are you really doing here, Ms. Stark?" Ross demanded after an awkward silence followed.

"He's a friend," I replied with a shrug. "I find it's important to protect my friends, even with my life." Ross looked at me as if to say there was more to it than that. "I've also been asked to remove Banner from your custody, by any means necessary," I added.

"Oh really? And just how do you plan on doing that while we're up here?" He had me there. I wasn't sure how I would do that.

"I'll figure it out." I leaned against the wall while Ross continued glaring at me. What was it with people glaring at me all the time? I really was getting tired of this crap.

"Why don't you just take a seat, we can discuss this later." Ross left it at that, leaving me to let out a sigh of frustration as I sat beside Bruce on his other side.

While I sat there I tried catching everyone's expressions. Betty looked like she was freaking out. She tried keeping herself calm but failed miserably. Bruce on the other hand seemed oddly calm despite the situation he was in. And of course Ross just had to keep on glaring.

Bruce looked like he was ready to speak when I only shook my head, "Don't."

"Sir, the Hulk is out on the streets!" The com rang out moments later. I looked at the general warily. How was that even possible?

"Son, calm down. What's your location?" The general asked after looking back at Bruce.

"Harlem Street."

"Alright, Stark, get your ass over here." Confusion swept over me as I stood up to see what he was watching on the monitors.

They all showed video feed of a giant yellow-green looking thing wreaking havoc on the streets. I grimaced when I realized how similar it was to the Hulk in appearance. But this creature had no concern about hurting anyone that got in it's way.

"What do you want me to do?" I asked warily.

"Obviously you're more than capable of taking the creature down," he replied in a matter-of-fact tone. "You wouldn't let all those innocent people get killed, would you?" he added after remembering what I had said earlier.

What exactly could I do? I'd have to jump out of the helicopter, and as fun as it sounded I wasn't putting my faith in a parachute. It was at that moment Bruce had decided to see what we were talking about.

"One of yours?" Bruce demanded in an accusing tone. I held back a smirk when he glared at the general.

"You are going to stop it, aren't you?" Betty glanced between me and the general, her expression full of terror.

"You know what, we should just let the general take care of it," I piped up. "He's already done such a great job so far, in fact I think he deserves a metal for his valor!" Both Betty and Bruce looked at me in surprise, while the general scowled.

"Watch your tongue Stark," he snapped.

"Fine, fine," I muttered with a wave of my hand. "You want my help you're gonna have to let Banner go, otherwise you're on your own."

By now Ross's face had turned a bright red. He knew I had him there. Unless he wanted this creature stopped than he was going to have to follow orders.

"You're walking on thin ice kid," he growled. "Fine, Banner gets out of this scott free and we call it a day." He glared at Bruce as the doctor let out a sigh of relief.

"Good, now give me some space, I think I know what to do." All three of them stepped aside as I stood in front of the hanger door. "You mind opening the door?" I asked the pilot.

"But we're still in the air!" Betty shouted as the door opened.

"Ada please don't do this." Bruce suddenly grabbed me by the shoulder, pulling me aside. "You won't survive a fall like that." I was about to argue when he stopped me once again. "Let me go, the Hulk can handle this."

Ross nodded in agreement before letting him go.

Betty was at his side in an instant. Tears were falling down her face as they hugged. At once I was reminded of my relationship with Emmet. I wondered what he was up to, or if he was even worried about me.

Once they parted he leaned over the ledge. "Ada, thank you, for helping me," he added. I simply nodded in response as he prepared to jump.

"Bruce wait, you don't even know if you'll change!" Betty cried. I caught her before she could stop him. The glare she gave me was way to similar to the general's.

"I have to try... I'm sorry." His eyes locked with hers before he jumped out.

My heart was beating wildly as I watched him fall. Every minute seemed to pass by dreadfully slow. Until finally he crashed into the street down below. Horror surged through me when I realized no one could survive that kind of crash.

"Get her inside!" Ross ordered as Betty brushed past me.

Moments seemed to pass before I spotted a flicker of green in the clearing debris. The Hulk was emerging from the hole he fell in. Finally I could let out a sigh of relief.

"Why aren't you helping him?" I demanded as the Hulk started attacking the other creature. I was even sure what to call it. 'Creature' sounded a bit inappropriate for what it looked like. It looked more like an... abomination.

The general and his copilot started firing at the creature I decided to call Abomination. The name seemed fitting enough for what it was. Seeing it now through the window I could tell that this fight was not easy for the Hulk.

They started jumping from roof to roof while trying to gain an upper hand, or fist I should say. It was difficult watching the fight, especially the Hulk as he struggled to keep his ground against the Abomination.

Unfortunately the Abomination realized at that point how much he hated getting fired at by guns. He turned on our helicopter, grabbing the gun so that it tipped towards the ground.

I tried holding on to the rail for dear life as the helicopter was aimed for the ground. My grip on the rail started getting loose though as the general and the soldiers on board herded Betty away from the hanger door.

It took me a few seconds to realize that the pilot was no longer in his seat. The fear I felt earlier was suddenly replaced with rage. Ignoring the screams coming from Betty, I made my way towards the cockpit. The Abomination was still trying to take our ride down, but I wouldn't allow that.

Within seconds I had thrown four fireballs at his face through the already broken window. The Abomination let out a snarl of fury as he was sent flying to the ground. Once he released his grip I got into the seat and started pressing as many buttons as possible, trying to get the engine running.

After what felt like hours of dread the helicopter began to level out. I looked over my shoulder to see that Betty was leaning over the general, horror written all over her face. He was blacked out for the moment.

"Dad?" Betty's question came out in a choked cry. Well, no wonder their expressions had seemed so familiar. I would've never guessed. But seeing them now I realized he needed help, much as I hated the old man.

I grabbed the medical kit before joining them. "Hold him down, I've got this," I ordered. Betty looked like she was ready to argue when she thought better of it.

"No, find a way out of here, now," Ross snapped when he was brought back to reality. I looked up and saw that Betty was fighting back tears once more.

"Sir, we need to get you out of here, now," I retorted. All the other soldiers that were with us had died in the near fatal crash. The impact had been blocked thanks to my quick thinking, but that didn't stop it from crashing.

Before either Betty or Ross could protest, I ordered Betty to help me carry him out. After going through the field of debris and passing a few broken or torn apart buildings, we finally reached the Hulk and Abomination.

The Hulk was being pinned against a wall as the Abomination drove his elbow into his chest. I flinched at the sight, realizing how painful that must have been for the Hulk. And of course the Hulk didn't look too thrilled either.

Betty was just helping Ross when I suddenly rushed forward. She let out a cry of protest that was left unheard as I threw a fireball at the Abomination. The creature let out a roar just before I threw another one right at his face.

I started dodging from side to side as the Abomination tried slamming his fists at me. The Abomination was already worn out from his fight against the Hulk. That made this slightly easier for me, and hopefully left an opening for the Hulk while he recovered.

Just as the Abomination was about to attack again the Hulk stopped him. I stepped back, letting him finish the job as banged the Abomination's head into a brick wall. Seconds later and the Abomination was knocked out, falling to the ground in a heavy thud.

It was over. The flames in my hand died down. A crowd had gathered outside as rain began pouring down. The Hulk did not like large crowds, and understandably so. He let out a low growl before leaping from building to building, trying to get away.

More helicopter lights began to appear over the scene, and I knew at that moment that SHIELD had arrived.

"Ada." I froze when I heard Director Fury's voice.

"Always good to see you too boss," I muttered with a roll of my eyes.

"What you did here was a risky move," Fury retorted. "Be thankful I'm not putting you under house arrest."

"But..." I pressed for more, hoping this wouldn't be the case. Last thing I needed was to be stuck in the mansion for months on end after what I just went through.

"Let's talk."

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**AN: Finally updated. And have to say this has been a wild last few chapters. Last time you'll be hearing from Bruce for a while too ;) But I'm glad that this story itself isn't ending. A big thanks to Spinosa for reviewing! I also will not be updating unless I get at least two or three reviews this chapter.**


	20. New Gifts

**Chapter Twenty**

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_"I tend to be busier than I should be, And I tend to think that time is gonna wait for me Sometimes I forget and take for granted, That it's a beautiful life we live..." Every Good Thing, The Afters_

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"We went over the video feed during that battle." We were back in the office, discussing what had happened almost after the battle between the Hulk and the Abomination. Everyone had kept their distance upon our return, and I could understand why. "You went over the line by nearly getting yourself killed back there."

I folded my arms and looked at Fury defiantly. "I wasn't going to let that thing hurt the Hulk," I replied, keeping my voice steady. My legs were still a little shaky from the fight. I'm surprised I was able to stand at all considering what had happened.

"But nonetheless you and the Hulk managed to stop this... Abomination, you called it?" I nodded and he let out a sigh of frustration. "I've got the Council on my ass for letting a sixteen year old handle the situation," he grumbled.

"I can deal with them if worst comes to worst," I said with a shrug.

Fury had made it clear that the Council would make things even more difficult. The only reason SHIELD had accepted me was because of my powers. The Council would have likely refused me just because of who I was or who my adoptive father is.

"No, you need to go back." Before I could complain he continued, "your father needs you, now more than ever."

I raised an eyebrow, not entirely sure what he meant by that. But it would be nice to go back. Especially with everything going on in my already busy life. I really wanted to see Emmet again now more than ever. I couldn't shake off the feeling that had been nagging me at the back of my head.

"Thank you, sir." To indicate just how thankful I was, I exaggerated myself with a bow. Fury only smirked and let me leave.

Finally I might be able to get that break I was looking forward to.

. . .

For the first time I really could get a look at how bad the mansion looked. Fury had warned me that due to the toxins dad might have gone overboard. I think that was putting it lightly. Seeing the damage now I realized just how seriously messed up his mind had been.

"Ada, glad to have you back." Before I could move another step I was embraced in a warm hug. I didn't need to look up to see who was hugging me. I only returned the favor with one of my own. It was good to be back, much as I hated to admit it.

"Dad, I really hope you're planning on fixing the place up," I murmured when we pulled apart.

"I've already got plans for the next one," he reassured me. "We've got bigger problems to worry about."

With that I followed him to the basement. I was surprised the lab was still in tact, well, mostly. Tables were turned over and cords had been pulled out. I assume that was used to fix the Arch Reactor that was replaced in dad's chest.

Speaking of which I liked the new design. It came out as a triangle pointing up. The device still held that signature glow, making it stand out like a sore thumb. But that's what made it unique. It not only saved him but it could work as a renewable source of energy.

"Dad, what's going on?" I asked warily. We reached the back of the room where boxes were stacked together. An image showed up as he typed in a few codes, revealing an older Russian man on the screen. To be honest he looked like an older version of that Ivan guy who attacked us at the race track. "Who is that?"

"Does the name Ivan Vanko ring a bell?" He looked down at me, and I only shook my head. "Thought SHIELD would have files on him," he muttered under his breath.

Actually the name did sound familiar now that I thought about it. I think SHIELD does have a file on his father.

"This guy really holds a grudge, against all the Starks," dad explained when I couldn't provide an answer. "His father was deported after he failed to bring in some new ideas for my father's company."

Something told me there was more to it than that. But I didn't press on. Dad was worried about our well being, and those close to us.

"So what do you want me to do?" I asked nervously. I could easily defend myself, and those around me. But knowing dad he wouldn't let me fight this battle. Not if he could help it.

"I've already called Coulson in to keep an eye on you," he replied while switching off the screen. "Jarvis will have the place on lock down too, so there's no going out." I rolled my eyes when I realized what he meant by that.

"Dad, there's nothing wrong with Emmet," I said in an accusing tone. "His father works for the company."

Dad only looked at me suspiciously before shaking his head. "Absolutely not," he muttered. "Now get somewhere safe; I've got this."

Again I rolled my eyes as he left the building with the Iron Man suit. How he managed to get the thing on so fast was beyond me. But once he was gone I wasted no time in getting out. By overriding the pass code dad had written, it was easy breaking out before Happy arrived.

The Stark Expo was all the way in New York. How the hell was I supposed to get there on time? Suddenly an idea came to me. I wasted no time in giving a call to the one person I knew I could trust. I only hoped he wouldn't kill me for doing this.

"Hey Jimmy, how fast do you think you can get here by helicopter?" I asked when he picked up the phone.

"Ten minutes give or take," he replied.

"Good, get here sooner." I hung up before he could protest.

Luckily it did only take him a few minutes to get here. I was waiting a few miles away from the mansion, careful to make sure Coulson couldn't find me. Once the helicopter landed I got inside and joined Jimmy in the cockpit.

"Where are we going, oh great one?" he asked in a mocking tone.

"New York, the Stark Expo," I replied after slugging him in the arm. Jimmy only rolled his eyes as we took off once more.

I looked down in time to see that Phil had finally reached my hiding spot. By than though it was too late. We were already on our way, and by than I would make sure that dad had enough help.

"You realize that once this is over I could get fired?" Jimmy muttered.

"I'll give a good word for you," I replied. "Thank you, really," I added in a lower voice. "You didn't have to do this."

"Having friends does have its benefits," he said with a smirk.

. . .

We landed nearby after a good two hours passed. At the speed Jimmy was going we were lucky to get there on time. According to the news Hammer was going to reveal a new weapon to the public that would make even dad's company look bad.

I only hoped that Hammer knew what was getting himself into. If Ivan was working for him than it was likely the suits were highjacked. And if that was the case than they would all have to be destroyed, Hammer's company included.

Luckily we did arrive on time. It didn't take me long to spot Pepper in the crowd. Natasha and Happy were with her, watching the stage with interest. That was until Natasha spotted me and pointed us out. Pepper's eyes widened when she turned to see what Natasha was talking about.

"Ada!" Jimmy looked panicked as Pepper rushed in to give me a hug just like dad had. "Where were you? We were worried sick!"

"Dad hasn't told you?" It took a few seconds for me to catch my breath when she finally let go. Pepper's eyes narrowed as she shook her head. "I went on a... personal business trip." Even Jimmy scoffed at the lie. I elbowed him and waited for what Pepper would say next.

"No, he didn't tell me that," she sighed. "Your father hasn't exactly been himself."

Yeah, I knew about that. I frowned as the stage suddenly went dark. Minutes later and Hammerhead himself showed up. Jimmy and I stood behind Pepper, Natasha and Happy. He looked uncomfortable being in Natasha's presence, and I could understand why. Let's just say I've heard lots of rumors and leave it at that.

While Hammer went on with his lies on how beneficial it would be to use his weapons, I studied the crowd. Ivan could be anywhere if my hunch was right. Hammer wouldn't want the world to know that he was harboring a terrorist. Or that it was the very terrorist that designed these suits he was now revealing. They were controlled by a computer, not human. But his presentation wasn't over just yet.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you War Machine! Worn by Colonel James Rhodes!" That caught my attention. An Iron Man suit appeared from under the stage; it was pointed white red and blue like the American flag.

What the hell was Rhodes thinking? The crowd began cheering, oblivious to the five of us standing there like idiots. How could Rhodes betray us like this?

"You have got to be kidding me," Pepper muttered under her breath.

"We need to move, now," I said as I grabbed Jimmy's hand.

He didn't even protest as we shoved our way past Natasha and Happy. We didn't get very far when another Iron Man suit flew towards the stage. By now the crowd was going wild as dad landed between Hammer and Rhodes.

"Do you have any idea what's going on?" Jimmy asked when dad and Rhodes started talking; Hammer was trying to intervene and as usual failed.

"Well, dad's warning Rhodes that Ivan is using Hammer, and Ivan is likely hacking into the-" I stopped when the suits Hammer designed started firing. "System." The crowd started panicking when they realized what was happening. Even the suit Rhodes was wearing started firing at dad. "Jimmy, clear the area and get out of here," I suddenly ordered.

Jimmy was about to argue when he thought better of it. He went on a full sprint as he started shouting at people to get away. I shot a fireball at the nearest suit, knocking it over in an instant. More suits were making their way over. Dad got up in the air and started leading most of the suits away from the overpopulated area. Another suit was walking towards me. Natasha and Happy had already left the area, and Jimmy led Pepper away.

Which gave me a chance to really fight back. Carefully I touched the ground with my hand, remembering what I had done to those soldiers. I could feel the energy of the Earth coursing through me, until suddenly a piece of the ground was hurtled towards the Hammer suit. The suit came crashing down seconds later.

'_And you said I wasn't ready_,' I thought.

'_That kind of power can be dangerous, if one cannot control it_,' the voice replied.

By now the area was clear of the suits, aside from the ones I had taken down. I started running to make sure that no one was left behind. Last thing we needed tonight were any casualties. Once I was sure the area was cleared I gave dad a quick call.

"Dad, where are you?" I demanded when he finally picked up.

"On my way to Pepper, where are you?" He sounded out of breath.

"I'm by the information booth," I replied. It was than I noticed a red light blinking every few seconds.

It didn't take a genius to realize that these suits were still live, and ready to explode. The ground suddenly began to tremble as more suits started exploding. A wall of fire was heading in my direction, and I had nowhere to run.

"Ada get out of there!" I never had the chance to respond.

I only had seconds before I was scorched alive. Thinking fast, I pulled up more Earth to protect me from the intense heat. I didn't stop until I was wrapped in a cocoon of Earth. I sat in a fetal position for what felt like hours.

. . .

Rhodey was flying as fast as he could to out speed the flames. Ada was down there somewhere. According to Tony she wasn't even supposed to be at the Expo. How she managed to get here was beyond him. He was sure she had been keeping secrets.

Finally he reached an area that seemed promising enough. The information booth. Tony had given him the coordinates moments ago, and by now the flames had cleared the area. All that was left were small remnants of the fire and smoke.

He started walking until he spotted something unusual. A pile of rocks appeared to be placed in a circular pattern next to the information booth. But that wasn't what had caught Rhode's attention. It was the golden light he could make out between the cracks.

Carefully he knelt down and started pulling at the rocks. What surprised him the most was that the rocks were once part of the cement around him. Though it was badly charred he was sure that whatever lay beneath wasn't.

"Ada." The mask came off so that he could clearly make out who was hiding underneath the rubble. Sure enough it was Ada. She was huddled against the corner, eyes wide with terror and her body shaking. "Ada, it's me, Rhodey." Gently he put a hand on her to make sure she was alright.

After a few more seconds she finally looked up to see who was speaking. "Rhodes?" Her voice was barely a whisper.

"Hey kid, you nearly gave me a heart attack," he sighed when he realized she was safe.

"Is everyone safe?" He helped her stand up as she struggled to get back on her feet.

He was amazed that even after everything she went through she was still concerned for others. Despite what everyone said she was nothing like Tony.

"The area's secured," he replied. Ada let out a sigh of relief. "You should get to a hospital," he added when he noticed a wound on her arm. Where did that come from? He could only assume it was when she was forming this little cave.

She quickly brushed him off and straightened up as if nothing had happened. "Where's dad?" she demanded.

He was afraid she would ask that. "He's with Pepper right now," he explained. "Do you wanna explain how you were able to make that?" He pointed towards the pile of rocks that were now falling apart.

Ada only looked over her shoulder to what he was pointing at. Then her expression hardened. "That's classified."

"Ada-" Rhodes was cut off by the sound of an engine running. He looked up in surprise to see a helicopter hovering above them. Ada followed his gaze, her eyes narrowing slightly as a ladder was thrown down.

"Talk about it later!" she called as she jumped on.

Rhodes was about to follow when he thought better of it. Tony was going to kill him when he found out what had happened. It was than he noticed who was piloting the helicopter. His eyes narrowed once again as he caught sight of a tall, muscular soldier looking man with blond hair.

The helicopter was already gone, leaving Rhodes to deal with an already pissed off Tony. This was not going to be fun.

. . .

I was back at the base, standing next to Clint as dad arrived.

A day had passed since Ivan Vanko was caught and taken to one of SHIELD's most secured prisons. From what I gathered he used a suit himself and tried killing both dad and Rhodes. But they had used the missals from the Iron Man suits on themselves. The attack had caused an explosion, nearly killing both them and Ivan.

It was a stupid and risky move. But it had worked in the end. And now dad knew that I worked for SHIELD. At first he had been pissed when Natasha told him the truth. But after fuming about it over the night, it seemed he had forgiven me for lying. I hoped.

"So you can control all elements now?" Clint asked to break the awkward silence.

"Not all of them," I replied with a shake of my head. "I don't know how extensive these powers... But I do know that some of them are dangerous. Too dangerous for me to use in public."

"Sounds like you still have a lot to learn." I drew out my hand and formed a small flame. "I do," I whispered.

I looked up as the car pulled in. Once dad got out I rushed in to give him another hug. Natasha slammed the other door shut as she grabbed a duffel bag and joined Clint.

"You still haven't gotten that arm looked at," dad said in an accusing tone.

"Don't need to," I replied with a shrug. "The wound kind of healed on it's own."

I pulled up a sleeve to show him. Dad looked at my arm in disbelief. Like I said, I wasn't sure how extensive these powers were. Something told me though that I shouldn't be using them all that often, especially out in public.

Natasha led us to the office once she was finished explaining to Clint what had happened. The two were good partners, that much I knew. And I definitely would not want to get in the way of a couple of master assassins.

Fury was already waiting for us as soon as we arrived. Natasha left with Clint to catch up some more; I'm sure the two were discussing what had happened in Ecuador and at the Stark Expo. Once inside he handed us both manilla folders with '_Avengers Initiative_' written on it.

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. Fury trusted me that much?

"For you, Mr. Stark, this is agent Romanoff's review to see if you were qualified," he explained. "And this is agent Barton's report on you, Ms. Stark." Dad raised an eyebrow at the mention of Clint's name, but said nothing.

"Not qualified," dad said while reading the report. "Textbook narcissist?" He looked at Fury questioningly.

I opened the file to see what Clint had written about me. "Doesn't follow orders well, but shows the skills of handling missions well," I read out loud. Dad leaned over so that he could read along.

"Wait a minute, you've been with this Barton guy before?" I laughed when Fury pinched the bridge of his nose once again.

"Dad, seriously. Clint's like twice my age."

"I heard that!" By now we were both laughing when Clint shouted that. Okay maybe he wasn't that much older than me. But still, I had a boyfriend already, much to dad's distaste.

"Ada's already part of SHIELD," Fury told us. "She will continue to keep an eye on you, and continue her training, until she becomes a proper agent."

Dad looked at Fury doubtfully before standing up to give him a handshake. I followed suit and stood beside him.

"You can't have me," he said. "But you better be damn sure to keep her safe." His voice dropped to a whisper at that.

Once again I was rolling my eyes as we left the office. The agents I had come to know and understand passed by and waved back. Dad looked really out of place here. Normally I was the one who felt out of place, especially at the company.

"You realize now that I'm sixteen I can legally drive," I stated as we walked out of the building. Dad got into the car and I was quick to follow.

"What do you mean by 'legally'?" he asked.

"Clint may or may not have taught me how to drive a few months before," I replied with a shrug.

"That crazy son of a-" Dad caught himself before he said the word. I folded my arms and leaned against the seat, waiting for an answer. "You know what the answer is, Ada," he snapped.

"I know, not until I can afford it on my own," I muttered. I couldn't help but pout as we made our way back to the mansion.

Hopefully that wouldn't take too long.

* * *

**AN: I know I wasn't going to update until I got three reviews, but I couldn't resist. The newest Transformers soundtrack really gets me motivated; I love Jablonsky's works! Anywho, thanks Mayyea and Spinosa for reviewing, you guys are amazing :D This time I'm only asking for two reviews, that's not too much is it? ;)**


	21. Part Three: Emotional Breakdown

**Chapter Twenty One**

* * *

_"When hurt has come and left you broken, And you hold faith with trembling hands I hear the question as your heartache, Turns to heartbreak Am I a God who understands..." Hurt, Everfound_

* * *

"Ms. Stark, are you a super hero?"

"How do you feel working alongside Iron Man, Ms. Stark?"

"Are you taking over your father's company when you're older?"

All of these questions kept running through my head as I answered them. No, no and I had no idea.

Honestly with everything that was happening I never thought about my dad's company. Stark Industries was in his hands, not mine. And I'd like to keep it that way for as long as I could. My mind was already frazzled enough at the moment.

Right now I was focusing on controlling the one power I had issues with the most. I discovered that I could control the Earth, to some extent. But like the voice in my head had warned me, it was both mind numbing and dangerous. One could lose control very quickly if they didn't focus enough.

I'd been practicing outside the mansion for what felt like months now. In reality it had only been a couple of days since Ivan Vanko was taken into SHIELD's custody. The maniac had tried killing thousands of people during the Stark Expo. It was only thanks to dad's quick thinking and Natasha's hacking skills that the suits were taken down.

For the most part life was back to normal. Well, as normal as one could get when you were the adopted daughter of a genius billionaire. The only thing I had to worry about all the time was the paparazzi getting out of hand, and losing control of my powers.

"You're looking good." The boulder I was trying to lift suddenly came crashing down, causing dad to stumble as he tried climbing his way to the bluff. I fought back a blush when he finally reached the beach. "That's gonna leave a mark," he muttered crossly.

"You know I like practicing alone." I threw a smaller boulder into another one, causing a small explosion in the process. Dad eyed the scene warily, standing the background until I was finished. Taking a deep breath, I clasped my hands together and tried relaxing like Bruce had done to calm the Hulk down. "Why didn't you just call me?" I asked as I followed dad up the rocks.

He may be Iron Man but when it came to physical exercise, he wasn't exactly the best. I had to help him up several times before we finally reached the top. It was kind of embarrassing actually. But I still loved him as a father, and I always would.

"I just got a phone call from that Emmet kid," he grumbled as we made our way back to the mansion. Ah, that would explain it. He wouldn't have climbed those rocks unless there was a good reason. Then again he could have just used the Iron Man suit. "So he has our house number now?" We stopped in the living room, and I held back a groan of annoyance.

"Dad, you're seriously happier if I'm getting shot at than having a boyfriend?" Sometimes I really did want to question his parenting skills.

"Do you want an honest answer?" He raised an eyebrow as I rolled my eyes.

I brushed past him and grabbed my phone. There were three missed calls already. One of them was from Coulson, much to my surprise. Phil could wait, if it was really an emergency he would've been here by now. Two of the missed calls were from Emmet.

"Hey," I murmured once he picked up the phone.

"Hey yourself," Emmet replied. I couldn't help but smile like an idiot. It's been too long since I've heard it. "Same time, same place?" He didn't miss a heartbeat.

"Of course."

Once I hung up I rushed out of the room to get ready, before dad could stop me. No matter what he said I would not stop seeing Emmet. He was more than just a good friend.

. . .

Sure enough Emmet was waiting for me at our favorite cafe. I had chosen a white top and gray skirt. While dad was still distracted I used that to get out. I'm sure he'd ground me for this later on, but I needed to get away for a few minutes.

"Ada!" I was greeted with a kiss as soon as Emmet spotted me.

"Emmet, it's good to see you again," I replied. I was grinning like an idiot once again.

"You too," he whispered. His hands twined with mine, and for the first time in days, I felt relief wash over me. "I saw the news, are you okay?" We sat down next to a window. People walking beside us were whispering to one another, and I didn't miss the looks they were giving us.

"I'm fine, just still a little shaken," I murmured. "Everything happened so fast that it's hard to get a good grasp on reality." And truer words could not be said.

It was nice to have a few seconds where my mind wasn't working overtime.

"I can see why." He smirked until he noticed the necklace I was wearing. Since putting it on I had refused to take it off. I couldn't take it off even if I wanted to. "When did you get this?" he asked once I noticed what he was staring at.

I felt a shudder run down my back when he brushed a finger against it. Glancing up I noticed that his expression had changed.

"Well," I began uneasily, "my mother apparently gave it to me when I was just a baby. But I wasn't allowed to put it on until I was sixteen."

"By your mother?" He raised an eyebrow. Wariness suddenly took over when I noticed how quickly he had changed. Something wasn't right.

"It's getting late," I suddenly announced. The crowd of people had already left, leaving behind only a couple of employees and another couple sitting in the back of the room. "Dad's going to get worried if I'm not back."

"No, wait!" I was stopped short when he grabbed me by the arm, this time forcefully.

"Emmet, let me go," I snapped. His grip only got stronger. "What are you doing?"

"Somewhere special, Ada." His voice was eerily calm, but I could sense the anger in it.

He never had a chance to say anything else. I slammed my elbow into his ribs, causing him to double over in pain. While he was recovering I made a run for it. The people remaining inside stared at me in shock as I left the building.

Anger churned within me as I ran. How could I have been so blind? I let love take over and blind me. I should have known that dad was right all along.

"Ada!" I didn't stop running as he called my name.

"You're not going anywhere." A new voice suddenly spoke up. I skidded to a stop when someone stood in front of me. The stranger was in his late thirties at least. Appearance wise he was similar to Emmet, but what really caught my attention was the outfit he had on. He was wearing a black shirt with a red tie and jeans, but the symbol on his tie was what sent shivers down my arms. "So you're the infamous Ada Stark I've heard so much about," he added in a gruff tone.

"Who are you?" I demanded. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed that Emmet was approaching.

"I am Emmet's father, Nathan Carhall. I've heard so much about you these past few days," he added with the slightest of grins.

Creep. Then again seeing what had happened to Emmet, I should have seen this one coming. Remind me again why I hadn't looked at their files more closely?

I forced back the vile that formed in my throat. The two had me surrounded now, unless I decided to jump out into the street. Though right now jumping into a busy street didn't seem like such a bad idea. They wouldn't be able to follow me if they chose to attack.

"You know, I'm beginning to see why dad didn't trust you," I muttered under my breath as Emmet caught me by the wrists. The smirk on his face made me wish I had punched him earlier. "It's too bad you trusted me as well."

Emmet let out a choked cry as a piece of cement hit him in the back of the head. I didn't bother sticking around as his father rushed over to help him up.

"Do you really want to run now?" I heard Nathan shout. "We're the only ones who know what you are!"

That was enough to make me stop in my tracks. As I turned I noticed that Nathan was holding Emmet up, keeping the fresh wound on the back of his head from bleeding too much. I hadn't hit him hard enough to knock him out.

"Why do you believe you are capable of controlling the Earth?" Nathan asked, keeping his voice steady.

"I've always had these gifts." I knew that it was a lie, and he did too. Nathan only raised an eyebrow and looked at me skeptically.

"You belong to a race of creatures that do not belong on this planet." My blood turned to ice when he said that. Nathan wasn't given a chance to continue as a car pulled to the side where I was standing.

"Get in!" The relief I felt earlier returned when Jimmy opened the passenger door. I wasted no time in getting in, not daring to look back as Jimmy sped away. "When your dad called I knew something was up," he explained once we were far enough away.

I didn't say anything. Jimmy looked at me in concern as we pulled into the parking pad after driving for what felt like hours. Dad was already waiting for us outside, with Pepper standing beside him much to my disdain.

"Ada, what happened?" Pepper's voice was full of worry, dad only shot me an 'I told you so' look. But the look was gone when he noticed that something was wrong. "Thank you for bring her home," she added to Jimmy.

"No problem," he murmured before returning to the vehicle.

Once the car was gone I pushed my way past dad and Pepper, ignoring Pepper's protests. I needed to get away. I couldn't let them see me, not now.

Tears were threatening to overwhelm me as I got into my room and locked the door. The last thing I wanted was for anyone to see me crying. I needed to find out whether or not that Nathan guy was telling the truth.

"Jarvis, keep the door locked," I managed before my voice choked up. "Over ride protocol 389."

Once I was sure Jarvis was finished, I grabbed the notebook I had kept with me since I was adopted. What Nathan had said about me... was it true? Did that mean I was some kind of alien? I couldn't be sure, especially as I looked at all the notes I'd written down.

The people in my dreams didn't look anything like an alien. They looked like normal human beings, just with unusual abilities. One of them could shape shift into different creatures. Another could read minds and control fire like me.

Maybe I was a mutant of some kind. I remembered reading files on how hard it was for society to accept mutants like the X-Men. Some people still hated the mutants, even though they had saved the world several times.

"Ada." A knock sounded on my door, but I ignored it.

I was looking through a file I received from SHIELD. According to the file there was recent activity in New Mexico. The energy readings were off the chart; a team was sent to investigate. But they weren't heard from since they were sent over.

"Dad, I'm busy," I muttered when the door suddenly slid open. So much for keeping the doors locked.

Dad sat down beside me on the bed. Instead of that triumphant grin I was expecting, he looked worried.

"Ada, what did that bastard do to you?" he asked after noticing the open notebook and files scattered along my bed.

"He just..." I stopped just as I looked at him. "Dad, do you know where I'm from?" I suddenly asked. I was struggling to keep my voice calm, but the fear and anger was making that difficult. Dad looked at me in surprise when I asked that.

"If you want an honest answer you'll have to ask SHIELD," he replied.

His hand was on my back as he tried comforting me; the tears suddenly became overwhelming. I couldn't fight them back any longer.

So I cried. For the first time I cried in front of dad, not caring whether or not I seemed like a child. The pain I felt earlier suddenly returned in full force. It wasn't just because of what Emmet and his father had done to me.

"Dad, I keep having these nightmares." Each word was difficult to say, like someone was forcing them out of me. "I keep seeing these people, watching them die... and this woman who keeps dying in front of me."

"That explains why you wake up in the middle of the night," he murmured. "Ada, I may not know where you came from, but I want to remind you that you're the best thing that's ever happened to me," he suddenly added. "No matter what happens, I will always love you as my daughter."

I looked at him warily when he said that.

"And if I ever see that Emmet bastard again, you can be reassured he will have his ass handed to him."

That made me smile slightly. I knew that did would take care of him once he was found. But something told me finding them wasn't going to be easy. Then another more fearful thought surged through my mind.

Nathan had said that the people like me didn't belong here. That sudden realization sent chills through me. Somehow I knew that this wasn't over. These people would return, and when they did, they would fight back with everything they had. This was only the beginning.

* * *

**AN: So only one update for today; lots of thunderstorms and all. Messes up the connections. Also the X-Men will be mentioned frequently throughout the story, the they may or may not make an appearance. I'm not making any promises. Thor is coming up next so stay tuned! And last but not least, thank you Spinosa for reviewing!**


	22. New Mexico

**Chapter Twenty Two**

* * *

_"We are dead to rights born and raised, We are thick and thin 'til our last days So hold me close and I'll surrender to your heart, You know how to give and how to take..." Raging Fire, Phillip Phillips_

* * *

It was four in the morning when I woke up. Dad had gone to bed hours later after I finally fell asleep. But now I was wide awake, and packing up. A duffel bag was sitting on my bed with clothing already stuffed inside. Now I was grabbing my notebook and few other key items for my trip.

Dad wasn't aware of what I had planned. I made sure of that. This was something I needed to do on my own. If what I thought was true than maybe Phil Coulson would know who I really was. He might be able to tell me more about my parents, and what they were.

After getting in the shower and putting my hair back into a ponytail, I was ready to leave for New Mexico. The energy readings had come from a small town in the middle of a desert. That was where I would start my search.

By the time I was on the road it was six in the morning. Watching the sunrise was a beautiful sight. When I was younger I would always get up early just to watch it. I always believed that a new sunrise meant I had survived another day.

It's a good thing Clint did teach me how to drive. I had borrowed one of dad's sports cars, knowing he wouldn't miss it too much.

By the time I reached the border to New Mexico it was well past noon. Aside from the usual traffic and nearly getting pulled over by the cops (had to flash my SHIELD badge just to get past them), I finally reached my destination.

The town I reached was small, compared to what I'm used to. It was a nice change though. People barely even noticed my arrival as I walked past. According to the coordinates I got there was a scientist here by the name of Jane Foster. If anyone knew about these energy readings it would be her.

I stopped by a convenience store to pick up a few things, more importantly food. It feels like it's been hours since I last ate. Well, truthfully it has been hours. I was on the road longer than I'd anticipated.

"Excuse me, do you by any chance know if a Jane Foster lives around here?" I asked once I paid for everything. The cashier eyed me suspiciously before pointing out what looked like an old building. It was near the edge of town, only a few blocks from here. "Thank you."

With that being said, I grabbed my bags and parked nearby, careful not to drawl any attention.

I was surprised to see a small group of people inside the building. Two young looking women and two men were inside, each looking annoyed with one another. With a sigh I knocked on the door, alerting them all.

"I'm sorry, this building isn't open to the public," the woman with black hair and glasses stated. Then her eyes widened when she seemed to recognize me. "Oh, you must be Ada Stark!" she suddenly exclaimed. "Jane, someone's here to see you!" Her voice rose to a shout.

"Darcy what did I tell you about-" Jane stopped short when she realized who I was. "Sorry, even a Stark isn't allowed in here," she muttered crossly.

"Look, I'm actually here to talk about those energy readings you were studying," I admitted. Darcy looked at Jane in confusion. "My dad doesn't even know I'm here," I added, hoping that would alleviate any suspicions they felt towards me.

"Alright, we can talk," Jane sighed. "But only, and only if you keep this a secret."

Why would she want to keep it a secret? As she let me in I could finally get a better view of the building inside.

Lab equipment was scattered all over. A few tables were placed here and there. To the right was a small kitchen with a table for four. A set of stairs led to what I assumed was the roof. The panoramic windows provided plenty of light during the day, and I'm sure it was pretty at night seeing all those stars.

"This is quite the setup you have."

"Yeah well, all this equipment helps me study the energy readings we've been keeping an eye on for the last few weeks," Jane explained. The two men from earlier must have slipped away when I got in, because I didn't see them in here. "Hey, where's Erik?" Jane looked over at Darcy, who only shrugged.

"Don't look at me, I'm not getting paid to babysit him or the new guy," she replied.

Seconds later and said people entered the room. I couldn't help but look away as the muscular guy smiled at me. The one with gray hair only eyed me suspiciously like Jane had. What was it with people and looking at me like that?

I mean if I flashed my badge at them I could understand but really. This was getting old fast.

"Who is this?" the muscular one asked.

"Ada Stark." I introduced myself to them both. "I'm sorry for barging in on you so suddenly," I added after realizing how rude that had been.

"At least you have manners compared to the other Stark," the older man stated. "Erik Selvig. Pleasure meeting you."

"Pleasure's all mine." I glanced at the muscular guy, who's smile never ended until he realized he was the center of attention.

"Forgive me, I am Thor Odinson," he explained while kissing my hand in greeting. I flinched and pulled away. Thor looked at me in confusion, noticing the sudden tension. "Did I do something wrong?"

"No... I'm sorry." My voice grew quiet as I looked away. The kiss reminded me all too well of Emmet and what he did to me.

I needed to shake off the unwelcome feelings of regret. This was part of the reason I had escaped to New Mexico. Right now the coms were off and I made sure there were no tracking devices SHIELD could find. Jane and her friends were safe for the time being, until dad decided to come and find me.

"What is this?" Thor looked pointedly at the tag on his shirt. Even with the shirt I could see how muscular he was. Wasn't Thor the name of a Norse god?

"Oh!" She quickly rushed forward and tore it off, blushing as she did so. "My ex! Good with patience and bad with relationships! Uh...they're the only clothes I had that would fit you," she explained.

I know a bit of what that's like.

"It will suffice." He walked away, leaving both Jane and I standing there in disbelief.

"You're welcome!" she shouted.

Well that was rude. Who the heck was this guy to think he could just push people around? Especially someone who was obviously willing enough to let him stay? I rolled my eyes when he turned around, this time smiling like he had been earlier.

"This mortal form has grown weak. I need sustenance!" he announced.

"Would it kill you to ask nicely?" I muttered under my breath.

"Something tells me this guy wasn't taught manners where he came from," Jane replied as she led the way out.

"Well, lunch is on me," I piped up as Darcy and Erik joined us.

"You don't have to do that."

"Yes she does, come on it's free food!" Jane rolled her eyes when Darcy pointed that out. I couldn't help but laugh at Darcy's carefree attitude. Made me wish I could be that way.

. . .

"How'd you get inside that cloud?" Jane asked as Thor continued stuffing his face with food.

We had stopped at a local diner. Thankfully there weren't too many people inside. After waiting for a few minutes for the food we started talking. That was when Thor began eating as much food as he could possibly order.

I was starting to regret saying that I'd pay for lunch. This bill was going to be huge, and dad would definitely notice.

"Also how could you eat an entire box of Pop Tarts and still be this hungry?" Darcy added.

Thor didn't respond. Instead he took a sip of his coffee. "This drink, I like it!" he exclaimed.

"I know, it's great right?" Darcy asked.

Without warning he slammed his now empty mug to the floor, causing us all to jump as it shattered. Jane was quick to clean it up as Thor continued smiling, as if expecting the waitress to actually do as she was asked.

"What was that?" I demanded.

"It was delicious! I want another!"

"Well, you could have just said so!" By now it looked like Jane was ready to give up.

"But I just did," Thor pointed out.

"No. I mean ask nicely!" The smile Thor had on earlier faded when he realized that he had done something wrong.

"I meant no disrespect," he apologized.

"All right. Well, no more smashing. Deal?" I was surprised when Thor simply nodded in response.

"You have my word."

"Good." Jane looked back at me as if daring me to say anything else. "So, what exactly did you want to discuss?" she asked when things started to calm down.

Her question caught me by surprise. I hadn't even thought of that until now. Truthfully I didn't know where to start when it came to discussing those energy readings. At first I had thought Coulson would know more about them. But if Jane was studying them, maybe she could figure it out.

"I want to know where I came from," I explained after taking a deep breath. "I don't know who my mother was or what she was for that matter." I added the last part with a shrug, and even Thor looked at me skeptically.

"Wait, are you adopted?" Darcy asked. When I nodded she exchanged a look with Jane.

"I'm not exactly sure what I can do to help you," Jane sighed as we got ready to leave.

It was at that point a group of men sauntered into the diner. I raised an eyebrow when I heard them talking about a satellite crash somewhere in the desert. Remembering what I had read in the SHIELD files, I knew at once that it was not a satellite.

Suddenly Thor became interested in their conversation and asked where the crash sight was. Apparently the sight had been taken over by the government and was now heavily guarded.

"Oh my God, this is going on Facebook!" Darcy exclaimed as Thor returned. "Smile!"

Thor smiled as Darcy pulled out her phone and took a picture.

"Where you going?" I asked as he began to leave.

"Fifty miles west of here," he explained.

"Why?" Jane's curiosity was suddenly peeked as well.

"To get what belongs to me."

"Oh, so you own a satellite now?"

"It's not what they say it is."

"Well, what ever it is, the government seems to think it's theirs. So you just intend to go in there and take it?" I pointed out, remembering that if SHIELD was involved than I probably shouldn't be here. Fury would ground me for life if he found out about this.

"Yes. If you take me there now, I'll tell you everything you wish to know," he replied.

"Everything?" Even I wasn't sure Thor could tell us everything. Especially the secrets to my past.

"Yes. All the answers you seek will be yours, once I reclaim Mjöllnir." Wow, again with the Norse mythology. Somehow this guy seemed like he knew everything about it.

Maybe he was an archeologist who lost his memories and now believed he was part of those myths. Either way it didn't make any sense. I couldn't believe that something like this was real. Then again I had to remember that it took a while for me to accept my powers.

"Meowmeow? What's Meowmeo?" Darcy asked, earning a laugh from me. Someone had difficulty pronouncing words.

It was at that point Erik had joined us. I wasn't even sure where he went during our conversation. Though I was glad he hadn't been around when I spoke to Jane.

"Please, don't do this," he said as Jane made her way to the Jeep. I rolled my eyes and leaned against the wall as Thor stood beside her, looking rather confused to what was happening.

"You saw what I saw last night. This is no coincidence. We have to find out what's on that crater," she replied in a firm tone.

"But I'm not talking about the crater. I'm talking about him." Erik looked pointedly at both Thor and me, and I looked anywhere but him.

"But he's promising us answers," Jane muttered, becoming increasingly frustrated.

"He's delusional. Listen to what he's saying. He's talking about Mjöllnir, and Thor and Bifrost! It's the stories I grew up with as a child."

If only you knew Erik. You wouldn't be saying that if you knew that some of those stories were true. I doubted Mjöllnir and the other stuff was real, but I knew mutants and heroes were reality.

"I'm just gonna drive him. That's it!" Jane said. She folded her arms and looked at Erik defiantly.

"He's dangerous, Jane," Erik murmured. Somehow I knew that Erik was referring to me as well. Again I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, realizing how much I had done that recently.

Thor was still waiting for her to make her final decision. Maybe if Jane wouldn't take him I could. Then again I was in no hurry to face Fury's wrath when he found out.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take you," Jane sighed once she realized where this was going.

"Then this is where we say goodbye." He took her by the hand and kissed it goodbye. Jane's cheeks turned a bright red once he let go. "Jane Foster. Erik Selvig. Darcy. Ada Stark. Farewell."

Well that was depressing. Normally I hated goodbyes. But when Emmet had changed I refused to even look back. We never said goodbye or even had an official breakup. Let's just say that block of cement in the back of his head was my way of breaking up.

Once Thor was gone we returned to the research warehouse. To my surprise and annoyance there were SHIELD agents crawling around the facility. Jane started panicking and yelling at the SHIELD agents, telling them to stop. But of course they refused to listen. That was when I spotted Coulson giving Jane what looked like a check. He spotted me as well and was about to speak when I shook my head.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I demanded, my voice cold as ice.

"Jane Foster has research we believe will help us with the hammer we found out in the desert," Coulson explained. He kept on a straight face when he realized that I was trying to keep Jane from noticing what we were doing. "Trust us Ms. Foster, we're the good guys," he added when Jane approached once again.

With that being said, the trucks pulled away, leaving a trail of dust with them. I looked over my shoulder to see that everything was gone. Including the duffel bag I had taken with me. I swore under my breath when I realized just what SHIELD had done. This was not over. Whoever took my stuff was going to pay.

* * *

**AN: In case anyone is wondering, my updates usually occur in the morning, afternoon or evening. Which is why the story doesn't always show up right away. Thank you McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon and ellethwen of lothlorien for reviewing! Keep 'em up, it encourages me to update more quickly!**


	23. Who Am I?

**Chapter Twenty Three**

* * *

_Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt? Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star Would choose to light the way..." Who Am I, Casting Crowns_

* * *

Phil Coulson studied the notebook carefully once he pulled it out. He wasn't expecting Ada to have it with her. Least of all he wasn't expecting to see her way out here in the desert. What had brought her here? And what would her father think when he found out where she was?

His eyes widened when he started reading the stories she had written. The handwriting wasn't too difficult to make out. But that wasn't what caught his attention. It was the immense detail that she had written down that caught his attention.

Each page seemed to describe the death of someone she had seen in a dream of some kind. The people were part of a group he had become familiar with, but not many knew about. Ada didn't know who she was or where she came from. Only that she was different.

He let out a sigh and decided to give Fury a call. The director needed to know what she was seeing in her dreams. If what he thought was true than things were about to get much worse for Ada. And SHIELD needed to be there to back her up if she couldn't fight the demons that were about to attack.

. . .

"Years of research. Gone." Jane, Darcy and Erik were sitting on the roof while I started thinking of what to do next. I sat nearby and stared off to the distance, debating numerous possibilities in my mind of what I would do to Fury once this was over.

"They even took my iPod," Darcy moaned.

"What about the backups?" Erik asked, ignoring Darcy's comment.

"They took our backups. They took the backups of our backups. They were extremely thorough," Jane replied.

Guilt stabbed me in the chest when I thought of what SHIELD had done to her. I could have been part of that group. But I stayed back, keeping my distance from them. I'm sure I would never hear the end of it from Fury.

"Just downloaded like thirty songs onto there." Darcy went on complaining, and I hid a small smile. Of all the people here she seemed like the friendliest. Maybe not so bright compared to Jane, and a little lazy at times. But she added a bit of humor to the dark moments that lay before us.

"Could you please, stop with your iPod!" Jane muttered crossly. Darcy only rolled her eyes, and I took that moment to get up and head downstairs.

I wasn't going to let SHIELD get away with what they did to these people. Jane's research was important to her, and I had a feeling it had some kind of connection to my past. If I was ever going to find out about my parents, I needed to break the rules.

The car was parked a few feet away from the building. I grabbed my set of keys that were hidden at the bottom of a drawer and started the engine. It didn't take long for Jane to realize what I was doing. In a matter of seconds she was already outside, ready to leave.

"Where are you going?" she demanded. I looked up at her, the determination in my eyes suddenly became obvious.

"To get back what SHIELD stole from us," I replied. "Only way to do that is to find that Thor guy. You want in?" Jane looked at me questioningly before climbing in on the passenger side.

"Who are you, really?" This time Jane spoke in an accusing tone, and I held back a sigh of frustration as we pulled out of the parking lot.

"You wouldn't trust me if I told you," I muttered. I stopped when we reached the local pet store. Someone very tall and very familiar was inside, talking to a nervous sales clerk.

Jane followed me as I led the way inside. Thor looked like he was struggling to understand what the clerk was saying. And the clerk looked more intimidated than ever when he made a demand of some kind.

"Thor, come with us," I ordered before things got out of hand. The sales clerk looked at both Jane and I fearfully. Thor only smiled when he realized we had returned.

Once we led him to the car I made my way towards the coordinates. Luckily I had memorized them after reading through the files numerous times. I had a weird habit of making sure I memorized numbers and maps before doing anything else.

"I've never done anything like this before. Have you ever done anything like this before?" Jane asked to no one in particular.

"More than you could count," I muttered under my breath.

"Many times. But you're brave to do it," Thor said in a louder voice.

"Well, they just stole my entire life's work. I didn't really have much left to lose," Jane said with a shrug.

"But you're clever." Jane looked taken aback when Thor said that. I raised an eyebrow as we continued driving, trying to concentrate on the road ahead.

"Thanks," she murmured, sounding more embarrassed than anything else.

"Far more clever than anyone else on this realm." I'd like to disagree with him on that one, but I better not say anything. This Thor guy looked like he could easily take me on if he wanted to.

"Realm? What do you mean by Realm?" Jane asked.

"You think me strange?" Thor glanced at Jane in surprise when he asked that.

"Yeah, we kind of do," I answered for her.

"Good strange, or bad strange?" That made me stop for a second. I wasn't too sure.

"I'm not quite sure yet," Jane replied.

"But who are you, really?" I asked.

"You will see soon enough," he answered.

"You promised me answers," Jane said in an accusing tone.

"What you seek; it's a bridge." My heart nearly skipped a beat when he said that.

A bridge... was that possibly what that woman had used in my dreams? A bridge of some kind to rescue the baby she had been protecting? I thought back to that dream and remembered seeing the patterns that formed on the ground below her. But the patterns had disappeared when she was murdered by those men.

My hands suddenly gripped the wheel harder than I intended. I felt nothing but hatred towards the men that killed all those people. Innocent people that were only trying to make a living in this world. They didn't deserve to die the way they had.

"Ada, is everything alright?" Jane's voice brought me back to reality. I shook my head and tried to clear the angry thoughts. If I lost control now my powers would start to show.

"Just peachy," I replied.

It didn't take us long to reach the sight. I parked a few miles away so that we wouldn't be detected. SHIELD would have motion sensors throughout the area. So we needed to be careful if we were to get through this alive. We dropped to the ground on our stomachs to get a closer view of the sight.

I peered over the ledge to see what looked like a city in the middle of a desert. White tents were placed throughout the crater. A network of agents passed by an electric fence protected by agents holding weapons. Getting past security was not going to be easy.

"Now stay here. Once I have Mjöllnir, I will return the items they've stolen from you. Deal?" Thor looked at both Jane and me. I nodded in confirmation while Jane looked at him warily.

"No. Look what's down there? You think you're just gonna walk in, grab our stuff, and walk out?" Jane demanded. She did have a point. The only way we would get past that kind of security was if I used my powers. There was no way I'd turn on SHIELD unless I wanted to get shot at.

"No, I'll fly out." With that being said, he ran down the hill towards the compound.

I watched with interest as he punched his way through the gate, knocking down several agents in the process. Rain started to fall as he continued making his way through the compound. Without meaning to I blocked the rain with my powers, keeping us both dry.

"What's this?" Jane asked when she took notice. I barely noticed though as I continued watching Thor punch his way through half of the agents there.

"Oh, sorry," I murmured when I realized she was looking at me. The rain started falling almost instantly when I broke off my concentration. Jane let out a startled gasp as she got soaked to the skin. "Sorry!" I yelped, but it was too late. We were both soaked now.

"Wait, that was you causing all of this?" she demanded. She didn't sound angry like I expected, only curious. When I nodded she looked at me with renewed fascination. "How is that even possible?" I was about to answer when I stopped short.

A crane was being pulled up over the compound, and it didn't take a genius to see who was up there. I ducked beside Jane so that he wouldn't see me. What was Clint doing here? Then I remembered hearing from Natasha that he had been reassigned to assist in the New Mexico project.

By now Thor had reached the inner part of the compound. A large agent who was twice his size suddenly stopped him in his tracks. My eyes widened when Thor took him head on, gripping him by the shoulders and tossing him into the mud.

The two started a mud wrestling match, the bigger guy gaining the upper hand as Thor slipped several times. I was amazed that no one could take Thor on. Glancing up I noticed that Clint had aimed an arrow to where Thor and the other guy were fighting.

I used the rain to my advantage and formed a ball of water nearby. Clint was ready to fire when the ball hit him in the face. I ducked behind Jane once again when he looked in our direction. Jane was struggling not to laugh when she realized what I had done.

Finally Thor had reached what I assumed was Mjöllnir. Everything seemed to slow down as he reached down to grasp it with his hands. Lightning streaked across the sky when he tried pulling it out of the ground. I was tempted to help him out, but something told me it was best to leave him be. It felt as though this was a test of some kind. After what felt like hours of watching someone struggle to pick something up, Thor gave up, letting out a cry of sorrow.

"I think we need to leave," I muttered when I noticed the SHIELD agents catching up to us. Clint must have already told them what happened.

"You're probably right." For once Jane agreed with me.

We quickly made our way back to the car, pulling out as soon as the engine was started. By now the rain had finally slowed down until it stopped. We drove on in awkward silence until Jane found the nerve to speak up again.

"So, what exactly happened back there?" she asked.

"Let's just say that's the reason I'm trying to find out about my past," I replied through gritted teeth. She looked at me in confusion as I continued, "I think... I come from a group of people who can do the same, if not more."

Thankfully Jane didn't question me any further. We returned to the warehouse in a matter of minutes. By then the ground was actually completely dry. It didn't even look like it had rained here, which was strange in itself.

Erik and Darcy were already waiting for us inside. When we got back Erik pulled Jane aside, discussing what just happened. He sounded angrier than usual from the tone in his voice. Darcy was only smothering her laughter as Jane got scolded for nearly getting arrested and trusting a complete stranger. I was surprised Erik didn't point me out as a complete stranger.

"He committed a crime! He's in jail!" I wouldn't say he was in jail. But if SHIELD got there way he'd be taken to the highest security they could offer, right next to Ivan Vanko.

"I can't just leave him there!" Jane protested.

"Why?"

"You didn't see what I saw!" She threw her hands up in the air, letting out a groan of frustration.

"Look! Look! It's Meowmeo." Darcy showed them a picture of the hammer in a book she had picked up. Both Jane and Erik looked at it skeptically.

"Where'd you find this?" Jane demanded.

"The children's section. I just wanted to show you how silly his story was," Erik explained, looking rather sheepish now. I'm sure he regretted taking it out now.

"But you're the one who's always pushing me to chase down every possibility, every alternative!" Jane pointed out.

"I'm talking about science, not magic!" Erik was shouting now. By now even I was getting tired of Erik's doubt. Before he could say anything else I formed a small flame in the palm of my hand, stopping them both from arguing.

"Something tells me that this is neither science or magic," I explained as I put out the flame with water from a cup sitting on the counter. Erik's eyes widened in disbelief as he watched, while Darcy's mouth formed in an 'o' shape.

"That is awesome!" she exclaimed.

"Well magic's just science that we don't understand yet; Arthur C. Clarke," Jane added once Erik shook his head to try and clear his thoughts. "Ada is able to manipulate both fire and water, both of which could be forms of higher brain function!"

"Jane, enough of this!" Erik snapped. "You're talking about something that shouldn't even exist." He glared pointedly at me.

"Well, if there is an Einstein-Rosen Bridge, then there's something on the other side. An advanced being could have crossed it!" Erik pinched the bridge of my nose, and suddenly what she said made sense to me.

Someone could have crossed through that bridge. What if that someone was me, when I was a baby?

"Oh Jane..." Erik let out a sigh of frustration when he realized there was no stopping her. "Fine, I'll go and rescue him."

With that and a final glare at me, he left the building, leaving us in an awkward silence.

"So, you can control fire and water?" Darcy asked once he was gone.

"Pretty much," I replied with a shrug. "Dad thinks I'm related to a mutant of some sort, but... I don't know." Again I shrugged as if it didn't matter. By now I was pretty exhausted after a day's event like that. "Do you by any chance have a place to sleep? Otherwise I can sleep in the car," I added.

"Yeah, we can pull out a mattress upstairs." I nodded at that, not minding sleeping under the stars as long as it didn't rain.

When that task was finished I flopped down on the mattress and looked up at the sky. I thought back to everything that happened today, and what might happen tomorrow. Times like these made me wish I lived a normal life. I was beginning to understand what I might be and what had happened to me when I was a baby. But that was about it.

'_If you're listening to me, I want answers_,' I suddenly thought as I remembered the voice that kept reassuring me or telling me whether things were good or bad.

'_What you seek is already in front of you, Ada_,' the voice responded quickly.

'_That doesn't help me much_.' My thoughts went back to what Jane had said. '_Did you use the Einstein-Rosen Bridge to send that baby away?_' I could almost feel the surprise the voice felt rolling off in waves.

'_We used something that is similar_,' the voice replied. '_Our people have the ability to teleport objects through short distances_. _What I used killed me in the end_. _It took too much energy_.'

It didn't take me long to realize what she meant by that. The voice belonged to the woman that had transported that baby to safety. But I was more interested in finding out if she knew about my mother or father.

'_Nadia, do you know anything about my family?_' I asked warily.

A pause followed. For a moment I was afraid the voice had left me. Then she spoke again. That familiar recognition flared within me when I heard her voice.

'_I am your mother, Ada._'

* * *

**AN: I've had that part planned for ages. Just wasn't sure which area to put it in, and I realized the _Einstein-Rosen Bridge_ would be the perfect explanation for how the baby was sent safely away. Anyways, big thanks to ellethwen of lothlorien and McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon, you guys are amazing!**


	24. Visitors From Asgard

**Chapter Twenty Four**

* * *

"There's a peace I've come to know Though my heart and flesh may fail , There's an anchor for my soul I can say "It is well"..." I Will Rise, Chris Tomlin

* * *

It took a while for the news to sink in. I had fallen asleep shortly after my silent conversation with Nadia. After that I started having worse nightmares. Visions of people that were close to me dying. Men like Nathan were hunting me down, for reasons I didn't know. The worst part was watching my adopted family getting killed in the process. Every detail was so vivid, so full of what I once thought was the truth. But now I'm not sure.

My heart was beating rapidly when I woke up again. The sun was beginning to rise, and I realized that Thor and Jane were on the roof not far from where I had been sleeping. Looking down I noticed that Thor had taken the notebook SHIELD took from me.

How did he know it was mine? It didn't matter. I was just thankful to have it back. As I skimmed through the pages my eyes widened in shock, than narrowed in anger. At the last page where my stories left off was a footnote. A footnote written by a certain agent Coulson.

'_We need to talk_', it read. Great. Looks like I needed to start this over again. This time without letting SHIELD catch what I was doing. Quickly I jotted down notes of my last dream, writing down every detail I could.

It was at that time Jane started to stir from her sleep. Thor was still fast asleep beside her. She gently pushed away his arm when she noticed what I was up to.

"Hey," she murmured as she straightened up in her seat. "What time is it?"

"Close to six in the morning," I replied after looking at my phone. "When did they get back?" I nodded to Thor to show who I was referring to.

"Close to midnight last night," Jane murmured. "He got some of my research back, along with your own."

"Remind me to thank him." I stretched out my arms and suddenly remembered what had happened last night. Almost at once the grief I felt days ago returned.

Nadia, the woman I watched die more times than I'd like to count, was my mother. She sacrificed herself for me. My mother was dead, and I had no real family left. At least family by blood. As far as I could tell there were no others like me around.

I decided to try and push the thought away and take a shower while the day was still young. Once my hair was dried off and pulled back in a ponytail, I was ready. Everyone was already waiting downstairs while Thor made breakfast, much to my surprise.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" I asked when Thor smiled charmingly.

"I believe it is the guest's best interest to cook a meal for the host," he replied while looking back at Darcy. She only dropped her spoon before nodding in agreement. Jane was working on the pancakes while Erik read the newspaper.

To me they looked like a typical family getting their morning chores in early. Dad and I rarely had breakfast together. We were usually too busy to sit down and have a decent meal together, unless dad booked a dinner.

"Help yourself to some pancakes," Jane offered a plate once they were finished. Darcy grabbed a couple of pieces and Erik joined her shortly after. I couldn't help but grab at least one. The last time something like this happened was when Pepper spent the night watching me.

"Thank you," I murmured. "You didn't have to do this." The food was great, even if it was a little burnt. I couldn't expect her to be a perfect cook. I was just thankful they had accepted me into their little group.

Once breakfast was over I helped clean things up. Thor was drying the plates clean while I washed them using my powers. He was impressed watching me control the water pouring out of the sink. Every once in a while I'd throw a splash at him in the face, causing us both to laugh.

"Okay, I have to ask," Darcy began once we were finished. "How is it that you're the daughter of Tony Stark? I mean you two are nothing alike."

"Technically he isn't my dad by blood," I explained. It was difficult saying this with a straight face, especially after finding out who my real mother was. "I never knew my mother and father, but I just... I have a feeling that they cared for me enough to give me a better life."

Jane was about to say something when a knock sounded on the door. My heart nearly skipped a beat when four people stood in front of the door; three of them were waving at Thor like idiots while the woman standing beside them rolled her eyes.

"Found you!" In his state of shock Erik dropped his glass of coffee.

"My friends!" Thor exclaimed. I glanced at Thor in disbelief.

"This is good! This is good!" The one with a beard and bulky muscles announced as they were let in by Darcy.

"I don't believe it!" Erik coughed as Darcy cleaned up the broken glass.

"Oh, excuse me. Lady Sif, and the warriors three." Well that wasn't much of a help.

"Warrior's Three?" I repeated, tilting my head to one side. Then I remembered the pictures from that book Erik had brought in from the library. Oh God, this really was happening. That meant these people were Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun. And of course we couldn't forget the elegant but fierce Lady Sif.

"My friends, I have never been happier to anyone. But you should not have come," Thor said as he greeted them all.

"We're here to take you home!" Fandral stated, confusion written across his face.

"You know I can't go home. My father is...dead because of me. I must remain in exile." Wait, what?

I looked at Thor in surprise. Though he was big and powerful looking, he didn't seem like the kind of guy capable of killing his own father. What the hell was going on here?

"Thor, your father still lives." Thor's confusion turned to a look of anger when Sif told him that.

This was getting to be a bit much. I pushed my way past them, ignoring the looks Jane was giving me as I stepped outside. What happened next made my eyes widen in shock. Something huge slammed into the ground.

A cloud of dust was left on the ground, followed by a ring of my phone. I held back a groan of annoyance when I saw who was calling.

"What?" I demanded.

"Is that one of your dads?" Coulson sounded out of breath; I could hear panicked shouting in the background as a giant creature made of metal rose from the cloud of dust. Looked like SHIELD got themselves into something bigger than they expected.

"Not that I know of," I replied, "But than again he does like to keep secrets." I added the last part in an accusing tone. Coulson didn't seem to miss it as he let out a sigh of frustration.

"Look, we'll discuss this later Ada," he snapped. "Get the townspeople to safety, this fight's gonna be ugly."

With that he hung up and left me to finish the job. I pinched the bridge of my nose before glancing over my shoulder. The robot/creature was slowly making it's way towards the town, and people were beginning to notice.

"Guys, we need to clear out the town." The Warriors Three and Lady Sif were already outside watching the scene with wide eyes. Even Thor looked shocked to see such a massive creature here on Earth.

"Jane, you have to leave," Thor said to Jane.

"What are you gonna do?" Jane asked.

"I'm staying here," he replied.

"Thor is going to fight with us!" Fandral stated proudly.

He looked at Fandral, Volstagg, Hogun and Lady Sif with a sad smile. "My friends, I'm just a man. I'll only be in the way, or worse get one of you killed. But I can help get these people to safety," he explained.

"Well, if you're staying, then so am I," Jane said defiantly.

"We'll need some time," Thor told his friends.

"You'll have it," Fandral promised him.

Once they began distracted the creature we started helping people get into their cars and out of the buildings. I ran into the diner and helped a young mother with a toddler into her car and turned back towards the street. The giant robot was slowly making it's way towards the town. Lady Sif managed to dig her swords into the creature's neck, but it managed to turn around it's entire head and shoot her off with a beam of fire.

Sif landed in a skid next to me. The creature had turned towards us, the opening in it's head beginning to light up. Sif got out of the way just in time while I formed a wall of rock to keep myself protected. Her eyes widened in surprise when she realized what I had done.

My mind was working overtime as I threw rock after rock at the large metal creature. The rocks weren't even leaving a dent as it started getting closer. Finally I broke concentration and let the rocks fall around me before ducking for cover.

"What sort of warrior are you?" Sif asked when I managed to catch my breath. I only shook my head in response and peeked around the corner of the car we were both hiding behind.

"I'm not a warrior," I told her. The creature was heading in our direction. I threw a ball of fire into it, hoping that would at least slow it down. "More like a peacekeeper." Sif raised an eyebrow as the others joined us. "How do we stop this thing?" I demanded.

"Perhaps we should keep hitting it; that's worked wonders so far," Fandral commented, earning a smirk from me. Thor looked at him in confusion before shaking his head.

"No, my friends. For all that it is, I know that Loki is behind this attack. Get everyone to safety and let me talk to him. I may be able to stop him."

Fandral and Volstagg were already leading us away, prying Jane away from Thor as he walked over to where the creature was standing. I watched on in horror as flames appeared at the square hole. Thor simply remained calm as he started speaking again.

"Brother, whatever I have done to wrong you, whatever I have done to lead you to do this, I am truly sorry! But these people are innocent. Taking their lives will gain you nothing. So take mine and end this."

For a moment it looked like Loki wasn't going to listen. Then the flames died down and the square sealed shut. Our small moment of relief was short lived though as the creature turned away. Without warning it suddenly slammed it's fist into Thor, sending him flying into the dirt.

"No!" Jane cried and rushed over to his side. "No, no, you can't be dead!" She placed her hand on his.

I flinched when I saw the wounds that were inflicted. There were several fresh wounds on his face and stomach, and a nasty gash on his arm. There was no way he would survive that, even if we did get him to a medic in time.

Sudden rage replaced the grief I felt towards Thor. Rage that Loki, if the guy was really in there, would betray his own brother like this. Rage that he would attack innocent people and destroy an entire town just for the sake of revenge.

Before I knew what was happening I made my way towards the creature. All the hours spent on training would amount to this. If I lost control now the results could be cataclysmic. Focusing my energy on the creature, I began drilling rocks picked up from the ground below into the metal.

By the time I was finished I was exhausted. And of course it looked like I barely left a dent in the metal. What the hell was this suit made out of? Even dad's suit wasn't this bullet proof!

"Ada!" Someone pulled me out of the way when the creature fired again. Just as if did I heard an explosion of lightning and thunder coming from behind. I whirled around just in time to see that Thor's outfit had changed dramatically.

He was holding the hammer from the crater sight. And the clothing he wore earlier was replaced with armor and a red cape. Truth be told he actually looked much better in that outfit. It really made him stand out compared to when we first met.

"Is this what you normally look like?" Jane asked when she recovered from the shock.

"Yes," Thor admitted. He actually sounded embarrassed rather than proud.

"It's a good look for you." I had to laugh when Jane said that.

With one swing of his hammer Thor managed to knock the creature back to the ground. I stumbled back when the ground trembled from the force. And that was the end of it. The creature was finished off, for now. Lady Sif and the Warriors Three had already wandered over to it, calling to some guy named Heimdall. Moments later and they vanished in a flash of light, leaving behind a pattern similar to the one at the SHIELD sight.

"That's it?" Darcy asked.

"I am afraid this is not over yet," Thor replied with a shake of his head. "We must return to the sight where Mjölnir was last."

"What about Loki?" I demanded. From what Thor and his friends had said, this was all Loki's fault. If anyone would get punished it was Loki. And of course SHIELD used that moment to arrive just as Thor was getting ready to leave.

"Wait, we need to debrief you on the-" Thor didn't give Coulson a chance to finish. Once he had his arm wrapped around Jane he started flying in the air, like he had promised the night before. "You and I need to have a little chat," Coulson added to me.

"Later." I ignored the look he was giving me. By now Darcy and Erik were cleaning up the damage caused by the creature. Coulson pinched the bridge of his nose as I started to help them.

"No, you've been putting this off long enough." By the tone in his voice I could tell he was trying to keep calm. Coulson always had this strange way of making sure he was always calm. It often made me wonder how he was able to do that, especially when training new recruits.

"All right, all right," I muttered with a roll of my eyes. "Obviously this isn't the best place to talk, so can it wait until we get back?"

"Fine, but it needs to happen as soon as you're back," he replied after giving it some thought.

Relief washed over me once he was gone. Something told me that this had to do with what he had read. Knowing Coulson and SHIELD, they were keeping secrets about my mother and what she really was. And now I was more determined than ever to find the truth.

* * *

**AN: For some reason this feels a bit rushed. Not sure why but it just does. Anywho, a big thanks to McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon and Spinosa for reviewing! They're always appreciated!**


	25. Filler Chapter

**Chapter Twenty Five**

* * *

_"I want to know why pain makes me stronger, I want to know why good men die..." These Things Take Time, Sanctus Real_

* * *

"What the hell were you thinking?" I was leaning against the back of my seat, arms folded as I listened to both Fury and Clint rant about how dangerous my latest escapade was. And while it was all true, I had no regrets leaving the safety of the mansion. I finally figured out who my mother was. And that was the reason I had left in the first place.

"You can yell at me all you want, sir," I snapped when Fury was finished speaking. "It's not going to make a difference one way or another." I knew well enough that I could survive without SHIELD if it ever came to that. Though with all honesty I wasn't sure what I would do without it.

Fury pinched the bridge of his nose when he realized I had him there. Somehow I knew that SHIELD needed me. Not just because of all the training they had given, but because of what I was. Even I didn't know the full extent of it, but I sure as heck wasn't giving up that information without a fight.

"Alright fine, you're off the hook, for now," he muttered crossly. "But next time this happens you will be grounded, and not just at the mansion either," he added when I raised an eyebrow.

I had a feeling that kind of punishment could be bad. So for now I would have to lay low, stay off the radar for a while. That was fine by me. Meant less time with training but at least I got a break or two. With dad busy working on the tower in New York, it gave me a chance to check the city out.

Once Fury had left the room I took the chance to grab the bag Coulson had taken from me. It had all of my essentials, including what looked like a gun of some type. Actually I don't remember putting that in there. I eyed the gun suspiciously until I realized why the design looked so familiar. Then a smile crossed my face. Only two people were capable of creating an gun like this.

Holding up the bag over my shoulder, I quickly made my way over to the engineering department. Jimmy was in there as well, so it would be nice to see him again. Though truthfully I had been avoiding him after what happened with Emmet.

Two familiar faces were working on what looked like a newer version of the night-night gun in a smaller room. One of them looked up, surprise written across his face when he realized they weren't alone.

"Fitz Simmons!" I nearly shouted as they ran over to give me a hug. "It's so good to see you again!"

"Ada, it's been forever," Jemma nodded in agreement.

"Did you see the newest weapons we've been working on?" Leo added as I followed them to the desk. It was impressive looking, but something seemed off.

"Is this the new night-night gun everyone was talking about?" I asked after observing the pieces that were missing. If one little piece was missing than the gun could explode in the user's hands. That wouldn't look good on anyone's record.

"Yes; we've been working on it for weeks," Jemma replied. "We're still fixing a few bugs," she quickly added when she noticed how I was eying the device. Suddenly the device sparked off as we walked by it, causing us all to jump.

"I'm sure you'll get it," I murmured with a smile. "Need any help I can offer?" I already helped dad fix several kinks in the Iron Man suit and several other objects around the lab.

Back when Dummy was just an idea I had helped him stop the robot from attacking at random times. He still couldn't figure out to this day why it would suddenly attack. But we managed to get it fixed with proper engineering.

"Actually you and I were supposed to talk." I flinched when I heard Coulson's voice. Jemma and Leo immediately went back to work when the agent walked in on us. He had on the classic black suit and frown as he looked at me accusingly. "You promised we would talk when we got back," he added.

This time I held back a groan of frustration when I realized he was right. I was in no hurry to talk to him again. Especially when he was the one who took my things. Like dad always said, "Never touch our stuff."

"I'll see you guys later," I muttered with a small wave. Jemma looked at me sympathetically while Leo pretended to not hear.

I was quick to follow Coulson through the many hallways, until we reached his office. I wonder how long it would take to get an office of my own here. From what I gathered Phil had worked for SHIELD for as long as anyone could remember. He was Director Fury's right hand man, and personally one of the few agents I could talk to when I needed to.

"So, what's the problem this time?" I asked once the door was closed shut behind us. Coulson didn't bother sitting down. He simply turned so that he was facing me.

"Ada, do you know anything about your heritage?" Coulson's question caught me by surprise. What the hell was I supposed to say to that? Even if I knew who my mother was now I didn't know what she was. "I thought so," he sighed when I didn't answer. "Ada, you come from a long line of people known as the Aliquid." I raised an eyebrow at the strange name, but I didn't stop him. "A few hundred years ago a group of the Aliquid were attacked in Europe, the last of their kind. Soon after that, they disappeared from existence as we know it. Or so we thought."

"What exactly... do you mean by that?" I asked warily. Though I had a feeling I already knew what he meant by that. Or more specifically _who_.

Coulson let out a sigh as he grabbed a file from one of his drawers. I looked at him curiously as he handed me the files.

"You should read them," he told me.

Carefully I scanned each paragraph, my eyes widening when I realized these were files on me. Most of it was stuff I had already figured out, like finding out about my powers. Really I didn't even want to know how SHIELD found out about them, or why they'd been spying on me for so long.

What did raise my curiosity was the name given to me by SHIELD. It wasn't a name I would've chosen, but I supposed for this case it was fitting. There was already the Black Widow, AKA Natasha Romanoff and Hawkeye, AKA Clint Barton. And now I had my own codename.

"Really? Firefly?" I looked at Coulson in annoyance when he only shrugged.

"At the time you only controlled fire," he explained. "The name sort of stuck with us."

"I suppose it could be worse," I sighed when I realized that was true. "So why show me this now? Why couldn't you tell me sooner?" I handed him back the file after taking everything in. It was a lot of information, but I think at this point I can handle just about anything the world could throw at me.

"You weren't ready for the truth," he replied, suddenly sounding apologetic. It took me a few seconds to realize that I had already forgiven him. "But by the time you were you already left."

Okay, maybe I wasn't going to forgive him. "So, why did those people hunt down the Aliquid?" I finally found the courage to ask.

"That's for another time, Ada," he said almost at once. "I have to go; I've been reassigned."

"Where to?" That caught my attention. I don't remember hearing anything about a new mission, but than again so many agents were sent out on different missions that it was impossible to hear about them all.

"Classified," he replied. "Agent Barton will be joining me, so you won't be hearing from us for a while. Keep yourself safe."

After reading those files I could see why he had said that. Those people that had hunted down the Aliquid... I had a feeling their hunt was far from over.

"You too Coulson, Phil." I couldn't help but smile back as he led me out of the office.

Now I had to face the wrath of my dad. I knew facing him wasn't going to be easy, especially with all that's happened.

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**AN: Since this chapter is shorter I decided to update twice today. And people, there are twenty one faves and follows for this story. Please do me a favor and review! I know there are some readers here, I'd love to see them! Next chapter isn't going to start with the Avengers, but it will lead to that.**


	26. You've Been Reassigned

**Chapter Twenty Six**

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_"It's another wolf bite Howlin' in the moonlight I wanna get my life right! Will you show me the way? Tonight..." Wolf Bite, Owl City_

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New York City. There was always something about this city that I loved. The diversity of people that lived here. The great shopping districts. Broadway. New York was full of history that hardly anyone knew or cared about. And finally I going to spend the next few weeks here in the newest addition to the city.

Stark Tower's construction had just been finished. You wouldn't believe how long it's taken for this to happen. After discussing plans with dad and Pepper, we decided to take a new leaf on it. By producing energy from the Arch Reactor, it was going to be the first building run purely on energy. That in itself was enough for the press to go wild and start asking questions about dad's newest ideas for energy powered buildings.

Meanwhile I stayed in my room to avoid getting caught by the press. After my discussion with Coulson a few days ago, I'd been keeping my distance from SHIELD, and from everyone else. It wasn't just the fact that I had learned who I was. Something else had been bothering me since I discovered that Nadia was my mother. I kept trying to figure out how she was still able to communicate with me even though she was supposedly dead.

I held back a sigh when I looked back at my clock. My room was larger than the one in the mansion. It was a bit overwhelming trying to figure out where to go at first, but I've gotten used to it by now. Now there were bookcases lined against the wall, along with a walk-in closet and an on-suite bathroom. I think that was the best part, not having to leave unless it was absolutely necessary.

Right now it was ten in the morning. By now most people would be at work or on their way. Maybe it would be safe to go out and check out some of the cafes. One of my favorites was a cafe that served both coffee and tea. I preferred herbal tea over coffee any day. Dad always thought it was a weird habit of mine, but I didn't care.

"Jarvis, can you let dad know I'll be gone for a bit?" I asked as I got changed. I put on a white tank top and gray shorts, trying to blend in with the crowd. Of course people recognized me almost instantly now. It wasn't easy dealing with younger kids who wanted my autograph, or the paparazzi always demanding answers to their questions.

"Of course ma'am. Your father insists that you be back before dinner," the AI replied. I looked up to no one in particular, wondering why dad would want that. Then I suddenly remembered what the big deal was.

Today was the day dad would connect the lines. From here on out we wouldn't rely on power from the city. And everyone wanted to see how it would work out. Truthfully I was curious myself as to whether or not this would work. We've been trying to figure out the cleanest way to power a building for months, and this was our best solution. Once I was finished getting ready, I took my leave.

After wandering down several flights of stairs, I finally reached the outside. And as usual the streets were filled with traffic. The sidewalks were full of people, so I decided to try and hide in the crowd until I reached the cafe.

Thankfully it didn't take me long to reach my destination. The cashier up front was more than happy to serve my tea after I handed him a small tip. I let out a sigh of relief as I sat down in a booth. The place was busy as usual. This was probably the busiest cafe I've seen yet; every time I paid a visit there were hardly any empty seats.

"Can I please have your autograph?" A little kid wearing a yellow sundress had approached me while her mother was ordering a drink. I couldn't help but smile as I took the paper and signed it. Even if I wasn't a fan of signing autographs (like dad didn't have a big enough ego), I couldn't resist helping out the kids. "Thank you!" she squealed as her mother pried her away. The girl happily showed her mother the paper I signed as they left the cafe.

"Why don't you sign something for me?" I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as a group of boys sitting in the same area started laughing. "Name's Dean by the way. Heard a lot about you Stark." He added the last part in a sneer.

I simply ignored him and took another sip of my tea as the others joined in. And this was one of the many reasons why I hated the public. People were quick to judge and tease rather than take the time to get to know one another. So I did what came naturally and turned to face them.

"How about a dance boys?" That was enough to make them all stare at me in surprise. Dean's smirk told me he had no idea what I was planning. I held out a hand, waiting to see what move he would make next. Suddenly he eyed me warily, realizing that I had something else in mind.

Unfortunately for him his body worked faster than his mind. His hand reached out for mine, and all of a sudden a flame formed in the palm of my hand. Dean let out a cry of pain as he tried pulling away. But my grip was strong, and I didn't let go until I saw tears forming at the edge of his eyes.

"You really are a freak!" another boy shouted as they all started to run. They didn't get very far. Someone else was blocking their path.

"None of this would've happened if you kept your mouth shut!" another cried as Dean quickly joined them.

"I'd leave the lady alone if I were you," the stranger said just when they realized they couldn't escape. "Otherwise you might get more than a burn mark next time."

"Sorry sir, won't happen again," Dean muttered while shooting me a glare. I returned the look with one of my own, causing him to flinch. He better hope it doesn't happen again. I might just take the stranger's offer and leave more than a burn mark.

The tension in the room died down once they were gone. I could relax once again and take another sip of my tea. Soon I'd be heading back to the tower anyways. I had a long list of chores ahead of me aside from getting ready for the party.

"Do you always treat strangers like that?" I looked up to see the stranger standing next to me. He was wearing a classic white t-shirt and pants, but it didn't take a genius to see the muscles hiding beneath the clothing. And it didn't take a genius to recognize who he was.

"Only when they act like _that_," I replied. "Thanks by the way, you didn't have to stop them."

"I'm not a fan of bullies, never have been," he explained after I gestured for him to join me. He slid into the booth so that he was sitting across from me. "I take it you already know who I am, ma'am," he added when he noticed I wasn't staring.

"I do, actually," I murmured, feeling a bit embarrassed now. I'm not sure why though. Guess it had something to do with the fact that this guy was actually being nice. "The agency I work for has a file on a certain Capsicle," I added after dropping my voice. He heard it loud and clear.

That much was true. Coulson was ecstatic when he heard about Captain America's miraculous resurrection. No one was sure how he had survived in the ice for seventy years. Only that he still retained the looks of a twenty one year old and was still having difficulty adjusting to the twenty-first century.

"So, you work for SHIELD?" he asked warily. I nodded in response before realizing where this was going. If the people in this room found that out, they would never let me in again. Some people were still a little wary about SHIELD. Not that I couldn't blame them. The organization was made up of spies and assassins.

"Must be strange, waking up to a world like this," I said. I was trying to sway the conversation away from SHIELD. Last thing I needed was people getting suspicious of me. I already had enough problems with the public to begin with.

"It takes some getting used to," he admitted. "But not too much has changed. I think I miss the people I grew up with more than anything else." By people I assumed the army. From the files I read he had faced many bullies before he became Captain America. "You know I never did catch your name," he suddenly added. I blushed when I realized he was right.

"Sorry, Ada Stark." He looked at my hand warily before shaking it. I'm sure he was afraid I might burn him. But the flames were gone now, for the time being.

"Wait, you're Ada Stark?" He looked just as surprised as I had felt when I first saw him. Resisting the urge to roll my eyes again (I've been doing that way too much lately), I smiled and nodded. "Sorry, I just wasn't expecting to meet you so soon." He ruffled the back of his blond hair in embarrassment. "Captain Steve Rogers," he introduced himself even though I already knew who he was.

"Pleasure meeting you." I wondered what he meant by meeting me so soon. Did Fury have plans for us to meet later on? Or was there something else going on here?

Steve's food arrived shortly after we were finished introducing ourselves. It was nice to sit and have a casual conversation over something that didn't have to do with SHIELD. In fact I kind of missed those days where I would just have a normal conversation.

Despite what dad always said Steve seemed like a nice guy. Then again so did Emmet. My fists suddenly clenched together as I thought of him. There was no way in hell I'd ever forgive him or his crook of a father.

"I should probably get going," I murmured after looking down at my phone. It was getting late, and I needed to get ready for the party.

"Is something wrong?" Steve looked at me warily.

"No, everything's fine," I quickly replied. "Just have a lot to do. I'm helping my father finish work on the tower." That much was true. The mess left by the construction workers needed to be cleaned up. All seventy floors worth of mess. That was not going to be fun.

"Oh, I almost forgot about that building." I didn't miss the annoyed tone in his voice.

I knew some people were against the tower when it was first built. It took dad several weeks to get the city to approve of it and the design. But eventually after a few days of haggling with the board he managed to get it started. Now we just needed to figure out whether or not it would work with the Arch Reactor.

"I'll probably see you soon," I added as I started leaving. Steve only waved goodbye as I left the building.

Once outside I breathed out a sigh of relief. The tower wasn't too far away, which made this journey much easier. As I started making my way down the block I realized that the lights were already on. I held back a groan of frustration.

Once again I'm late. Dad would never let me hear the end of it. I rushed forward so that I was sprinting towards the tower. In a matter of seconds I reached the first level, which was the lobby. The crowd from earlier was already gone, much to my relief.

"The tower's looking good!" I announced when I finally reached the tallest floor. This was where our rooms were. And Pepper was seated on the couch next to dad, the two of them sharing a glass of champagne.

"You think so?" Pepper asked. I nodded and sat down in the chair across from them. "Glad to hear that our hard work is paying off."

"Our hard work?" Dad looked at Pepper skeptically.

"You know Pepper's the one who came up with the idea," I pointed out. "She deserves more than a small percentage of ownership."

Pepper was about to say something when an alarm sounded. "Sir, agent Coulson of SHIELD wishes to speak with you," Jarvis announced. Dad looked up at me questioningly, but I only shrugged. Not like I didn't know where he was or what he wanted.

"Tell him I'm out," dad replied. Moments later and my phone began ringing. The look dad was giving me was priceless as I picked it up.

"I need to talk with your father." Well that was unexpected.

"Nice to hear from you too Coulson," I muttered under my breath. "Dad's busy right now." I didn't get the chance to speak again as the door opened. Dad let out a groan of annoyance as Coulson started walking in.

"Hi Phil," Pepper greeted him while dad only rolled his eyes.

"When was his name Phil?" he asked.

"Since forever," I whispered back.

"Ada, you're being reassigned," Coulson explained as he handed what looked like a file to dad. Pepper looked at Coulson in surprise when he said that. "Something's happened, and we'll need your help."

"What's going on?" I demanded as dad started pulling out the files. People I've become familiar with started showing up in holographic images. The Hulk, Hawkeye, Black Widow and Captain America showed up on the screen, along with Thor.

"That's something you'll need to talk about with the boss," he replied. "We're rendezvousing at the Hellicarrier."

That made me look at him in surprise. I hadn't seen the Hellicarrier since it was first worked on. Both dad and I had helped Fury work on the design until the idea finally became reality. Now it seemed like I'd actually get to see it in action.

"I'll see you guys later," I murmured.

"Actually I was just leaving," Pepper suddenly piped up. "I'll walk you two down."

Dad gave her one more pleading look as we headed for the elevator, but she said nothing. Instead he pulled out what looked like a bright blue cube standing out in the file. Something told me that SHIELD was tampering with something they shouldn't. And now I was about to find out what that something was.

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**AN: Wow, just wow. Over twenty faves and follows and still no new reviewers. Would be nice if someone actually dropped a review once in a while. But a big shout out to Spinosa for reviewing. You're a good friend who actually reviews when you can :) Really appreciate the efforts!**


	27. The Hellicarrier

**Chapter Twenty Seven**

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_"And for the promises, there is this land. And for the heavens are those who can fly..." Only If, Enya_

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"The Tesseract was an energy that were trying to use," Coulson explained as we reached our destination. "Fury believed it could provide an energy source ten times greater than electricity and oil." I could tell from the tone in his voice that he disapproved the idea.

"But in the end the Tesseract can't be controlled," I concluded. Pepper had left for a meeting once we got down to the street. We took a helicopter to reach our destination, and I was surprised to see Steve Rogers sitting in one of the seats. He was just as surprised to see me, but made no comment. "Why was SHIELD trying to control it? What motive did they really have?" I suddenly asked.

That seemed to catch Rogers' attention. Seemed I wasn't the only one wondering these things. What bothered me more than anything was why SHIED suddenly got interested in energy without telling me. Surely if anyone knew about energy it would be dad, or me for that matter.

Steve was reading some of the files that Coulson had given dad the other night. His curiosity was peeked as a video played of Bruce turning into the Hulk. I grimaced as I remembered that fight. It felt like it had only just happened, but in reality it had been three years now. I keep forgetting that I'm almost seventeen.

"So this Dr. Banner was trying to replicate the serum that was used on me?" Steve asked when the video went on a loop.

"A lot of people were. You were the world's first superhero. Banner thought gamma radiation might hold the key to unlocking Erskine's original formula," Coulson replied while shooting me a glance.

"Didn't really go his way, did it?" Steve made a face when Bruce Hulked out once again; this time it showed images of people getting killed on the sight, and even I had to look away.

"Not so much. When he's got that thing though, guy's like a Stephen Hawking." I grinned at the mention of said genius. Even my dad admired the old man, though he would never admit it. He even had a poster of him hanging right next to Albert Einstein in his room.

The look Steve gave him was priceless. I fought back a fit of laughter when I realized he had no idea what Coulson was talking about. Adjusting to this time period really must be difficult for the poor guy. Especially when he kept learning new things like this.

"He's like a... really smart person," Coulson explained, sounding more embarrassed than ever.

It was at this point I realized how big of a fan Coulson was. Seeing him now he looked like a kid in a candy shop. He couldn't stop stuttering as he talked to Steve. And he was making it really hard for me not to laugh at them both.

"I gotta say, it's an honor to meet you, officially. I sort of met you, I mean, I watched you while you were sleeping." By now I had to sit down to keep myself from gasping for breath. Steve looked at us both in amusement.

"Is he always like this?" he asked under his breath.

"Not usually," I whispered back. Boy I wish I had a camera. This would make for some awesome blackmail.

"I mean, I was...I was present while you were unconscious from the ice. You know, it's really, it's just a...just a huge honor to have you on board." Both Steve and I just smiled back as Coulson looked away, trying to hide his admiration and embarrassment.

While Coulson was still struggling to keep himself from looking worse, I thought back to the files I had read.

The Tesseract was a weapon that couldn't be controlled. It originated from Asgard, or so SHIELD claims. No one knew of it's true origins, or the full potential it had. In a way the Tesseract reminded me of myself.

Then again there was still so much about me and the Aliquid that I didn't know about. I still had a lot to learn about my past if I wanted to move on. And SHIELD didn't have all the answers to those questions. Maybe once this was over I would need to start finding those answers.

"Ada, are you alright?" Steve's question brought me back to reality. Everything had kind of gone dark when I started thinking. I shook my head to try and clear my thoughts before answering.

"Yep," I replied with a firm nod. Steve raised an eyebrow, but he kept quiet, much to my relief.

Really if he's read the files than he already knew who I was, or more importantly what I was. As far as I am concerned there was no reason for me to explain myself.

Luckily we landed just at that moment. The helicopter landed with a rocky jolt until the engine was stopped. We were about to get out when Coulson pulled me back by the shoulders. Steve and the pilot already jumped out, leaving me to deal with Coulson.

"Ada wait, I was... kind of hoping you could get Captain Rogers to sign my cards," he admitted, sounding even more embarrassed if that was possible.

"Why me?" I groaned in frustration. I just wanted to get out and explore the Hellicarrier.

"Because he trusts you, as far as I can tell," he explained. "And I'm... I don't want to be seen as the guy who creeped out Captain America." Ouch, saying that had to hurt.

"I think you've gotten way past that," I muttered crossly. "But I'll see what I can do," I added when he gave me a puppy-dog look.

Never before had I seen the boss act this way. It was strange really, and I would be laughing my head off if it weren't for the situation. Times like this made me realize just how much more serious Fury was compared to most of the agents around here.

"Agent Stark." Immediately I was greeted by Natasha. I hadn't seen her since Ivan Vanko was arrested. "It's good to see you again."

"You too, though I wish it was under better circumstances," I quickly added. "How are you coping?" I asked, knowing how close she had been with Clint.

Coulson had explained shortly after we left for the helicopter that Barton was compromised. Knowing that the agent who had been both a teacher and a friend was compromised was tough. I always feel like these people were invincible, like nothing could stop them. Seeing them now made me realize just how vulnerable humans really were.

"I'm coping," she replied while keeping on a straight face. She glanced at Steve while he was trying to take everything in.

The Hellicarrier was an amazing ship. It was like a floating city as far as I could tell. On four sides were wings that were similar to a helicopter's. We designed it so that the Hellicarrier could carry a lot of weight, and hover in the air for long periods of time.

"It was quite the buzz around here, finding you in the ice. I thought Coulson was gonna swoon. Did he ask you to sign his Captain America trading cards yet?" Natasha's next comment made me grin.

I could imagine how difficult it was for Coulson to keep his stoic composure around Steve. And seeing Steve's look of confusion made fight back laughter again. Something told me that dad would have a fun time making jokes behind Steve's back while he was here.

Speaking of which I'm surprised dad hasn't arrived yet. My guess was he was still busy reading the files and paperwork Coulson had given him. Hopefully he wouldn't take too long, otherwise he might miss the greeting party.

"Trading cards?" Steve finally managed to ask.

"They're vintage," I explained for him. "He's very proud."

It was at that time a very familiar face appeared on the ship. I couldn't suppress my happiness when I saw Bruce. He looked more uneasy than ever as he approached us.

"Dr. Banner," Steve greeted him with a handshake.

"Oh, yeah. Hi. They told me you'd be coming," Bruce replied. He looked at me warily. "Didn't know you were so comfortable around these guys," he added with the slightest of smiles.

"You get used to these crazy bastards after a while," I said with a smirk, ignoring the glares both Natasha and Steve were giving me.

"Word is you can find the cube." Steve looked at us both warily after an awkward silence followed.

"Is that the only word on me?" Bruce asked. I knew full well what he meant by that, and I shuffled my feet as Steve thought of what to say next.

"Only word I care about," he replied.

"Must be strange for you, all of this." Bruce looked pointedly towards all of the tech that was around us. But Steve was looking at the agents marching down the runway, and at the few agents carrying rifles on their backs.

"Well, this is actually kind of familiar," Steve murmured thoughtfully.

Suddenly an announcement sounded that the Hellicarrier was getting ready to take off. By now the agents outside were rushing for the safety of indoors.

"Gentlemen, you may wanna step inside in a minute. It's gonna get a little hard to breath," Natasha spoke up.

Suddenly the Hellicarrier began to shake violently, causing me to stumble slightly. Bruce caught me before I could fall, much to my relief. I thanked him silently before standing up again.

"Is this is a submarine?" Steve asked as they started walking towards the edge.

"Really? They wanted me in a submerged pressurized metal container?" Bruce's question made me laugh a little. I could understand why he was so uneasy now. They both peered over the edge, their eyes widening in disbelief as the Hellicarrier took flight. "Oh, no. This is much worse."

As we headed inside I thought back to how this crazy adventure had started. I wonder where my life would be if I had not been adopted. Would I be the same person if I was still back in the orphanage? Of course by now I'd be out on the streets. It was something I preferred not to think about.

All I ever wanted to do was help people, and now I was being given that opportunity. I've already helped Bruce as much as I could get past the Hulk and even accept the Hulk. But at the same time I also felt responsible for nearly killing Emmet, even if the bastard deserved it.

It was a weird feeling, and I often wondered if assassins felt the same way when they tried helping people or killing them. Clint had often told me that he felt conflicted during an assignment. He made a different call when he was sent to kill Natasha.

"Gentlemen." Fury greeted Steve and Bruce as we reached the bridge. I didn't miss the ten dollar bill Steve passed to Fury when he caught sight of the room.

Really the place was impressive looking. The bridge overlooked all the computers displayed throughout the room, and a panoramic window overlooked the outside. Above I could see the window that led to the communication center. It would be easy to get lost in a place this big.

"Doctor, thank you for coming," Fury said when Bruce stopped to greet him.

"Thanks for asking nicely," he replied in a sarcastic tone. Wouldn't be surprised if SHIELD forced him here. I guess that's why he looked so reluctant earlier. "So uh... how long am I staying?" he asked.

That was actually something I'd like to know myself. If I did want to discover my heritage than I wanted to start my journey as soon as possible. But being here reminded me that I too was a SHIELD agent. Finding the Tesseract and this Loki guy was my first priority.

"Once we get our hands on the Tesseract, you're in the clear," Fury replied.

"Where are you with that?" Director Fury looked at Coulson to explain.

"We're sweeping every wirelessly accessible camera on the planet. Cell phones, laptops. If it's connected to a satellite, it's eyes and ears for us."

If that's the case than it shouldn't be too difficult to find the Tesseract. Than again if had an energy reading similar to the bridge Jane had working on, than it might be next to impossible to find.

"That's still not gonna find them in time," I muttered.

"You have to narrow the field. How many spectrometers do you have access to?"

"How many are there?"

"Call every lab you know, tell them to put the spectrometers on the roof and calibrate them for gamma rays. I'll rough out a tracking algorithm based on cluster recognition. At least we could rule out a few places. Do you have somewhere for me to work?"

Bruce was gonna love the lab we had set up for him. Of course he'd be stuck in there for who knows how long until we find the Tesseract. Hopefully it would be a stress free environment.

"Agent Romanoff, would you show Dr. Banner to his laboratory, please," Fury ordered.

"You're gonna love it, Doc. We got all the toys," Natasha told him as they walked past.

Once they were gone I folded my arms and looked pointedly at Fury. "So why am I really here?" I asked. Steve was still watching curiously from a distance, keeping an eye on us both.

"Look, the Council thinks it's best to keep you here until this whole mess is sorted out," Fury explained once I was at his side.

Annoyance flared within me at once. "So you're saying the Council doesn't trust me?" I demanded.

"You're a Stark, what do you expect?" Steve's question made my face turn red with rage. Even Fury looked shocked that Steve would say such a thing.

"Did it ever occur to you that I was adopted?!" I nearly shouted. By now everyone was watching us, and Steve actually looked a little frightened. I didn't even think that was possible for the guy that had helped end World War II. "I'm sick and tired of people comparing me to my father!"

I didn't notice that the air around us had suddenly begun to stir. Or that agents were shuffling away fearfully. It wasn't until Fury placed a hand on my shoulder that I noticed the damage I was causing. Reluctantly I tried calming myself down, realizing that if I lost control now the results would be disastrous.

An awkward silence followed as the papers scattered across the room stopped flying around. Steve's eyes widened when he realized I was causing the minnie twister. Holding back a sigh of frustration, I brushed past them to get away.

I needed to calm down. Best way to do that was to try and meditate. Bruce had shown me a few techniques while I was with him. And so far there were no rooms for privacy. I didn't stop looking until I found one in the far back of the Hellicarrier, away from the loud noises and the hostile looks.

Quickly I pulled out my iPod and started listening to music. Music was always the key to keeping me calm, especially if said music was meditative. Enya was one of my favorite artists. And listening to her music was more soothing than I realized.

'_How can I keep calm when there's so much tension on this ship?_' I asked, hoping that Nadia would answer.

'_You need to find your inner peace, Ada_,' came Nadia's soft reply.

'_Inner peace sounds like a lot of bullshit_.' That much was true, at least I believed it was. How could I find inner peace when all I had were nightmares every time I closed my eyes?

'_I warned you that you were not ready to control such power_,' Nadia pointed out. '_You have much to learn before you are ready._'

'_Then why can't you teach me? How can I learn to control my powers if there is no one to teach me?_' I asked.

"Agent Ada Stark, you're wanted on the bridge." The voice on the com broke my train of thoughts, causing me to finally release that sigh of frustration.

Looks like this wasn't the best place for meditation. I grabbed my iPod and put in headphones until I made my way to the bridge. Director Fury was waiting for me as I stuffed my iPod back into my pocket.

"Look, I know that tensions are high between you and Rogers, but you're needed in Stuttgart," he explained.

"Let me guess, you want us to work together?" I asked, my voice sounding more cross than I intended.

"Exactly." That was enough to make me roll my eyes.

"There are over a hundred agents I'd rather be working with," I muttered.

"Good, than maybe you can use this time to get to know each other," he said with a smirk.

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**AN: So despite my last rant, I decided to update because I was so fond of this chapter. Next couple of chapters might surprise you all ;) And a big thank you to Maryyea, ellothwen of lothlorien and Spinosa for reviewing! And I will not be updating for a while, at least until the thunderstorms clear for tonight.**

**Maryyea: Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much. I'm trying to add as much humor to it without making it overkill. Which may seem odd at first, but it's what I like to do ;)**

**ellothwen of lothlorien: Thank you for reviewing! It's greatly appreciated :D**


	28. Stuttgart, Germany

**Chapter Twenty Eight**

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_"I've seen it before Afraid of what's in store But, this time I'm ready to go..." All The Way, Capital Kings_

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I was lucky enough to take some time away from everyone as I got dropped off not far from the Stuttgart Opera House. My mission was to get inside and detain Loki if possible without causing a commotion.

Why Fury would send me of all people was beyond me. But I was thankful to get some alone time and relax. Germany was a beautiful country. There was always something about it I liked, aside from the fact that their country started World War II. Although there was more to that story than I'd like to get into detail with.

Right now I was wearing a green dress with high heals, trying to blend in with the crowd. My hair wasn't pulled up like it usually was. Instead I had it cropped to the side in curls like Natasha's had been. I'm not even sure why I went to such lengths to look this nice. Not like I had a date or anything.

The invitation I received read that I was here as a condolence for Tony Stark. Seeing as he left a huge donation for whatever project they were working on here, it gave SHIELD the perfect opportunity. At least I was hoping that was the case.

Soon enough I reached the Opera House. It was a massive building with marble pillars and exterior. Stairs led to the massive ballroom where the head scientist would be giving a speech. Most of the people here spoke both German and English, much to my relief. While I could easily speak their language I preferred English any day.

I showed the guards outside the invitation and seconds later they let me in. Everyone began greeting me as I walked inside, smiling occasionally for the cameras. An orchestra was placed near the two-way staircase that led to the main room. The host was already starting his speech while I stayed in the back of the crowd, waiting for signs of Loki.

A sudden chill swept down my back as I was greeted by another guest. I looked up the stairs to see a man walking down them. My eyes narrowed when I saw the suit he was wearing, and a green scarf that protected his neck. What really caught my attention was the staff he held on to like it was a cane. The edge of the cane had what looked like blue Tesseract energy. That was when I realized who this stranger was.

Too late I reacted. He suddenly swung his staff into one of the security guards, knocking the man out at once. Soon after he went for the host, causing the crowd to gasp and panic. I struggled to remain calm despite the fact that Loki was drilling something into the host's eyeball, grimacing in disgust at the sight. Too many times I've seen more gruesome sights than this. After working with SHIELD and suffering from those nightmares, this was nothing.

Loki pulled out the device once his deed was finished. The outfit he was wearing was replaced by a gold armor and helmet, followed by a green cape. Why hadn't I fought back when I saw the attack coming? I should have been able to predict this move. I backed away from the panicking crowd, realizing that it was not my place to fight. If I fought now people would get hurt. And Loki must have known I could fight back, especially if Clint was working for him.

"Kneel before me!" Loki shouted above the panicked cries. By now everyone had fled outside, but there was nowhere to run. Loki had created copies of himself to prevent people from fleeing. One of the copies appeared next to be, and I hid back a squeal of surprise when I noticed the copy was staring at me. "I said kneel!" Loki suddenly slammed the staff he was holding, causing a shockwave of energy to run through the crowd.

I flinched at the energy surging through me. It felt like nothing I'd ever felt before. Clearly this guy was stronger than I thought.

"Is not this simpler? Is this not your natural state?" he began. I started forming a ball of fire in my hand, but stopped when the copy of Loki grabbed my arm. I glared back, but said nothing as he continued his speech, "It's the unspoken truth of humanity, that you crave subjugation. The bright lure of freedom diminishes your life's joy in a mad scramble for power, for identity. You were made to be ruled. In the end, you will always kneel."

This guy was definitely a nutcase. Freedom was one of the greatest rights anyone could have. I struggled to free myself from the copy, but to my surprise their grip was stronger than I anticipated.

"Did I not tell you to kneel?" Loki suddenly demanded as he caught me trying to escape. "You would dare disobey me, your true king?" The last part came out in a sneer.

I remembered watching the Transformers movies and what Optimus Prime would always say. 'Freedom is the right of all sentient beings'. That was one of my favorite quotes. Though not everyone would believe they were true, I always believed they were.

"Well?" Loki's question made me glare at him. "I'm waiting, foolish mortal."

Gathering up my courage, I spit in his face, causing the crowd to jostle in surprise. Loki's triumphant smirk faded to a scowl. "I kneel to no one!" I snapped.

Without warning I managed to free myself from the grip and threw a piece of Earth in his direction. The Loki copy faded once the piece crashed into the ground where he had been standing. Before I could react he grabbed me by the wrist, twisting so that it caused more pain than I could imagine.

"What sort of mortal controls Midgard itself?" he demanded a hand covered my mouth. I used the opportunity to lick his hand, causing him to jump in disgust. Remind me to use as much mouthwash as possible when this was over. That was disgusting.

He aimed his scepter towards me once I was free. I moved out of the way, but the blast managed to graze my leg as I ran for cover. Holding back a cry of pain, I tried limping away as fast as I could. By now the crowd started fleeing once the copies were distracted.

"Ada stand down, Steve's on his way!" Natasha's voice boomed over the earpiece. Loki was making his way to where I stumbled. More Earth began flinging towards Loki as he continued his approach. He dodged each throw like it was nothing.

Just as Loki was ready to fire his scepter again Steve got in the way. It took me a few seconds to recognize him in the Captain America outfit. I struggled to calm myself down as I realized I was losing control, once again.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany and saw a man standing above everybody else, we ended up disagreeing." Steve looked over at me when he realized I was watching. I only glared back and tried to cover my now injured leg. My wrists still hurt like hell, but for now it was my leg I was worried about.

"The soldier. A man out of time," Loki sneered.

"I'm not the one out of time," Steve retorted. "Are you okay?" he added to me.

"What do you think?" I snapped. Wow, he actually looked hurt.

Moments later and the quinjet that took us here hovered above us, guns aimed towards Loki. "Loki, drop the weapon and stand down." Natasha ordered.

Loki looked at his scepter for a moment before suddenly attacking Steve. Steve managed to block the attack, but the blast threw him back a little.

"Kneel," Loki ordered as he placed the scepter against Steve's neck.

"Not today!" Steve suddenly grabbed the scepter and threw Loki aside, using his SHIELD to block attacks while kicking and punching as much as possible. He ran towards Loki, did a back flip and knocked Loki out with his leg.

Why hadn't I thought of doing that? In my moment of panic it must have slipped my mind. I continued watching the battle from where I sat, unable to move. For some reason I felt like I was in a movie. I hated not being able to fight back. It was a horrible feeling that made me wonder if it would always end like this.

Loki was ready to charge again when a blast came from nowhere. The blast sounded all too familiar to my ears. It wasn't long after when a familiar red and gold suit landed gracefully next to me, hands raised and aimed at Loki.

"Make your move reindeer games." I wasn't sure if I was relieved or worried to see dad again.

Moments later and Loki dropped his scepter and raised his arms in surrender.

Wait, that was almost too easy. There was no way Loki would give himself up that easily without a fight.

"Good move."

"Mr. Stark," Steve greeted dad, sounding out of breath.

"Ada, what happened?" Dad ignored him and knelt down best as he could to see what injuries I sustained.

"I'm fine," I lied as I struggled to stand. Dad helped me up when I stumbled once again. "It's just a sprain." I winced when pain shot through my wrists. Loki's smirk was enough to make me wish I could slap him.

"You need medical attention," he said in an accusing tone. "Now."

I looked at dad defiantly, ignoring his order completely. "Get Loki to prison first, than we'll talk," I muttered.

Luckily he didn't argue with me after that. Dad held out his arm for support as I limped after Steve and Loki. Natasha had landed the quinjet in front of us, the hanger door dropped open to let us in.

Loki was thrown into one of the seats while dad forced me onto a seat as far away from the said demigod as possible. Yeah, because the situation wasn't awkward enough without having dad fuss over me the entire time.

This was going to be a long flight.

. . .

By the time we were high in the air my wrists started to feel fine. Which surprised me more than anything else. Warily I started rubbing them to make sure my theory was correct. Sure enough they were fine, despite the fact that Loki had twisted them to the point of breaking bone.

"You're wrists are fine?" dad looked down at me in surprise, his mask removed with an eyebrow arched in surprise.

"Guess so," I replied with a shrug. I don't remember having the power to heal. Seemed a bit overpowered if you ask me. At least give me some kind of weakness.

'_You will need that strength for the future_,' Nadia suddenly told me.

'_Wait, I want to know how you're able to communicate with me_,' I said before she could stop, leave or whatever it was she did when we were finished talking.

'_The necklace you are wearing; it allows me to communicate with you_,' she explained. '_When our people still lived we all wore them. It was a way to show what we were, and to keep in touch with one another, even from a distance._'

I furrowed my eyebrows, trying to remember whether or not I'd seen the necklace before. But when I first saw Nadia, she and the others that were with her didn't have them. Which left me wondering why.

'_What happened to them?_' I asked.

'_You will find out soon enough, Ada_,' she replied.

Of course she would choose to leave at that moment. But at least I knew how she was talking to me. I smiled when I realized that she never really did leave me. She was still watching over me, keeping me safe.

Glancing up I noticed that everyone was staring at me in shock. Even Loki looked a little uncomfortable as he shifted further away from me.

"What?" I demanded.

"Your necklace was glowing," Steve replied after shaking his head like he had seen a ghost.

"Was it?" I spoke almost absently, trying to avoid the subject. But of course the two were curious, and curiosity could be dangerous. I've learned this the hard way.

"You were talking to her again, weren't you?" Natasha asked the question this time, noticing what was going on. I simply nodded in response, not sure what to say when dad looked at us both in confusion.

"Okay I'm confused, who is 'her'?" he finally asked.

I was about to answer when a boom of thunder echoed in the air. Loki's eyes widened in panic as a thunderstorm built around us.

"Where'd this come from?" Natasha's question only made me think of one demigod.

Rain started pouring around us as the wind picked up. And moments later Loki actually looked like he was panicking. Steve noticed it too and took the chance to speak up, "What's the matter? A little afraid of lightning?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows," Loki replied.

That made us all look at each other in confusion. Partly I understood who he was referring to. Which meant Thor should be appearing any- Suddenly a loud thud shook the entire quinjet. I grabbed on to a rail while Steve and dad lost their balance.

Moments later and the hanger door opened. At this point Loki looked petrified as someone grabbed him by the neck, knocking both dad and Steve to the sides. The attacker glanced at me in surprise before swinging his hammer and flying out.

"And now there's that guy," dad muttered after recovering from the attack.

"Another Asgardian?" Natasha asked over her shoulder.

"Think the guy's a friendly?" Steve added.

"Doesn't matter. If he frees Loki or kills him, the Tesseract's lost," dad replied. He looked back at me and pointed a finger, adding in an accusing tone, "Stay here." You would think by now that he knew I didn't follow orders very well.

"Stark we need a plan of attack!" Steve exclaimed.

Dad's mask suddenly turned back on, hiding his face from the rest of us. "I have a plan. Attack."

With that being said, he jumped out of the quinjet with his thrusters on full blast. Steve was already grabbing a parachute by the time he left.

"I'd sit this one out Cap," Natasha warned him as he adjusted the chute. Meanwhile I had already made my way towards the hanger door, ignoring the look she was giving me.

"I don't see how I can ma'am," he replied.

"These guys come from legends, they're basically Gods," I snapped as I inched my way closer. One wrong move and I could end up free falling. But really Steve had the only other chute available. I did have an idea of how I would land safely.

"There's only one God, ma'am. And I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." That comment made me laugh. Despite how much I was hating the guy right now, I couldn't resist grinning.

With that being said, he jumped out of the quinjet. I was quick to follow, ignoring Natasha's protests as chunks of rocks flew towards me. Steve looked up in disbelief when I caught two of them, making sure they hovered in the air until I made a safe landing in the forest down below.

Once I landed I struggled to keep myself calm. Controlling the Earth took a lot of power and self control. If I lost my temper I could end up destroying this forest.

Steve landed a few inches away from me, letting his parachute fall to the ground. Once he let go he looked at me in surprise once again.

"I thought your leg was hurt," he said.

"Thought so too," I replied with a shrug. "I guess it's healed now." Looking up I noticed that Thor and Loki were on the mountain not far away from our vantage point. "Think you can scale that mountain and reach them in time?" I asked.

"I don't think we have to," he muttered as dad came flying in.

Thor was tossed down below when dad crashed into him. The force of the crash made the area around us shake, causing needles to fall down. Mind you it was a pine forest, and it was incredibly dark. It was difficult to get a good view of what lay ahead.

Dad's suit made it easier to track them down. Steve easily kept up with me as we sprinted through the trees. Soon we reached a clearing that looked like it had already gone to hell. By the time we reached the clearing dad had already headbutted Thor twice, only to be flung into a tree.

"Hey! That's enough!" Steve shouted as he threw his shield between them and caught it with ease. Both Thor and dad glared at him in response, dad raising his hands until he noticed I was standing next to Steve. "Now, I don't know what you plan on doing here-"

"I've come here to put and end to Loki's schemes!" Thor shouted.

"Then prove it. Put that hammer down," Steve ordered. Oh this was not going to end well. I backed away as far as I could to stay out of the crossfire.

"Uh...yep! No! Bad call! He loves his hammer!" dad retorted.

Sure enough Thor swung his hammer to one side, knocking dad out in the process while rushing towards Steve. "You want me to put the hammer down?" he demanded.

Just as his hammer was about to make contact, Steve threw up his shield to protect him. The contact the hammer made with his shield sent a vibration that shook the entire forest, knocking them all out. I struggled to stand up, my knees still a bit wobbly from the impact.

"What the hell was that?" I demanded once they were all recovering. "Don't say a word," I added to dad when he was about to speak. He put his hands on his hips like he was being scolded. "I swear on Odin that this forest will be taken down if you don't stop fighting right now." Even Thor looked startled that I would say such a thing.

"Are we done here?" Steve managed to ask.

Thankfully they stopped arguing after that. Once they were finished with their little fight we got back to the quinjet (after Thor grabbed Loki once again) and settled down for an awkward fight.

"Can you really do that?" Steve asked once we were inside. "Destroy an entire forest I mean," he added when I looked at him warily.

"Every day I need to focus on my powers," I explained, glancing over at Loki. "If I don't things can get very... messy."

"Wow, that must be... tough," he murmured in a sympathetic tone. He looked taken aback when I glared at him.

"It's what my ancestors would have done," I replied, thinking back to what Nadia had said to me.

Thankfully Steve didn't say anything after receiving a vengeful glare from dad. I could always count on dad to scare away anyone pressing annoying questions. Though right now it was kind of nice to talk about it to someone, even if that someone was Rogers.

Holding back a sigh, I leaned my head against the back of the seat and let sleep take over. I was already exhausted enough. Last thing I needed was to sleep in the same room as Loki, but it seemed I didn't have much of a choice.

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**AN: Thanks Spinosa for reviewing! You're a great friend as always :) And yes, I do not intend to put them together, at least not right away :P Anywho, this chapter was certainly fun to write. I'm really hoping to get at least two reviews this time, but of course we know that won't happen - -**


	29. Back on the Hellicarrier

**Chapter Twenty Nine**

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_"You've been dropped like a dream to the floor You've been told not to try anymore, But you're wakened from yesterday's war Cause you're a survivor..." Survivor, Matthew West_

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"Stark." Tony was walking as fast as he could, avoiding Rogers as often as possible. But of course Capsicle was making that difficult as he grabbed Tony by the shoulder. "Stark!" Finally Tony stopped and turned to glare at him, a signature look Steve had gotten used to already from his daughter. "Did you have any idea your daughter was that dangerous?" he asked.

Tony shrugged him off and sighed in frustration. "To some extent, yes," he replied. "Look Rogers, there are some things in this world that you just won't ever understand. And she's one of them. So keep your hands off."

It didn't take Steve long to understand what Tony meant by that. "You think I'm hitting on her?" he asked, making sure he got the term right. Bucky was always better at talking about girls and to girls than he ever would be. The look Tony gave him suggested that he was right. "The last thing I would do is hit on her," he snapped. "She's got too much of your attitude."

"Good, than do me a favor and stay away from her," Tony muttered. "And Rogers, the next time you say something like that to her, I'll kick your ass so hard you won't be able to sit for weeks." He added the last part with a smirk before walking off, leaving a stunned Steve Rogers to stand there in shock.

. . .

I was sitting in the medical bay getting looked at by the doctors. Much to my annoyance dad had sent me here soon after we returned to the Hellicarrier. And of course he grounded me after I disobeyed him once again. That I had gotten used to. But this on the other hand I hated.

Don't ask me why I hated the doctors. For some reason I never felt easy around them. Which was why dad always had private doctors pay both of us a visit. Usually we'd end up with a clean bill of health anyways.

Right now the doctors were trying to figure out why I had healed so quickly. All the while I tried distracting myself by looking anywhere but them.

"We can't find anything at the moment," one of the doctors sighed after I refused getting my blood taken for the umpteenth time. I wouldn't trust them with a needle even if my life depended on it.

"So I can go now?" I asked, hoping my eyes were pleading enough.

The doctor made a face before letting out a sigh of frustration. "Yes," she replied.

I let out an excited whoop before leaving the annoyed doctors behind. Already I was getting sick of that place anyways. Besides, if I was going to be seen by any doctor, it was going to be Bruce. Although I will admit that Bruce isn't that kind of doctor. But still. You get my point.

It didn't take me long to reach the bridge. Mostly everyone was already there, except, to my surprise, dad. Steve sat between Natasha and Bruce as they started talking after watching a video feed. Fury had tried talking to Loki, to see if the crazy nutcase could spit out any new information. Unfortunately it didn't seem like Loki was in any hurry to talk.

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?" Bruce said.

"Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?" Steve asked after looking at Thor.

"He has an army called the Chitauri, that none of Asgard nor any world know. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the earth. Return, I suspect, for the Tesseract," Thor explained.

"An army, from outer space?" Steve's question made me glare at him once again.

"So he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for," Bruce murmured thoughtfully.

"Selvig?" Thor looked at us all questioningly. Even that caught my attention. Erik was a good friend of Jane's. What was he doing working with SHIELD? I thought he wasn't too fond of us?

"He's an astrophysicist," Bruce explained.

"He's a friend," Thor muttered.

"Loki has him under some kind of spell, along with one of ours," Natasha put in.

I would love to know how Loki was able to do that. As far as I knew Clint was one of the strongest, most capable agents I knew aside from Natasha. I suppose even with the sharpest mind it was easy to take over.

"I wanna know why Loki let us take him. He's not leading an army from here," Steve added.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him." That comment made me grin. Leave it to Bruce to add a little humor to a bleak situation.

"I don't care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother." Thor gave Bruce a threatening look, and I was ready to stop him if it came to a fight.

The last thing we needed was Bruce to Hulk out, especially in a small space like this.

"He killed eighty people in two days," I pointed out.

"He's adopted."

The group started arguing amongst themselves while I thought of what to do next. If Loki was planning an invasion than we needed to figure out the location and time. His next attack could happen at any given moment. Especially if he had a few SHIELD agents on his side.

"Iridium, what did they need the Iridium for?" Bruce's question caught me by surprise.

Iridium... wasn't that used to stabilize raw energy?

"It's a stabilizing agent." And dad uses that moment to finally join us. Though I was surprised to see Coulson walking beside him, looking rather frustrated once again. "Means the portal won't collapse on itself, like it did at SHIELD." He walked over to where I was standing next to Thor. "No hard feelings Point Break, you've got a mean swing."

"Also, it means the portal can open as wide, and stay open as long, as Loki wants," I put in, realizing what he meant by that.

By now dad was getting bored with the conversation. I tried not to laugh as he started tinkering with the buttons and walked over to where Fury normally stood on the bridge.

"That man is playing Gallaga!" Dad suddenly announced. "Thought we wouldn't notice, but we did." He started looking around as if to get a good view of the room and tried covering his eye. By now I was smothering my laughter, earning a glare from Natasha. "How does Fury even see these?"

"He turns." I didn't even noticed agent Maria Hill was in the room.

"Sounds exhausting." Maria didn't even acknowledge my presence.

"The rest of the raw materials, Agent Barton can get his hands on pretty easily. Only major component he still needs is a power source. A high energy density, something to kick start the cube," dad added.

"When did you become an expert in thermonuclear astrophysics?" Maria asked.

"Last night. The packet, Selvig's notes, the Extraction Theory papers. Am I the only one who did the reading?" I looked around in amusement when Steve and Thor looked at each other in confusion.

"Does Loki need any particular kind of power source?" Steve asked.

"He'd have to heat the cube to a hundred and twenty million Kelvin just to break through the Coulomb barrier," I explained.

"Unless, Selvig has figured out how to stabilize the quantum tunneling effect."

"Well, if he could do that he could achieve Heavy Ion Fusion at any reactor on the planet." Now it was dad's turn to look impressed when Bruce said that.

"Finally, someone else who speaks English."

"Is that what just happened?" I couldn't help but smirk when Steve asked that.

"It's good to meet you, Dr. Banner. You're work on anti-electron collisions is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster," dad said as they shook hands.

"Thanks," Bruce replied with a sheepish look.

"Dr. Banner is only here to track the cube. I was hoping you might join him," Fury told them. He flashed me a look as if daring me to argue. I only shrugged in response.

It's not like Banner wanted to be here anyways. Be glad he's doing anything for you.

"Let's start with that stick of his. It may be magical, but it works an awful lot like a Hydra weapon," Steve pointed out.

He did have a good point there. That scepter of Loki's worked a lot like a Hydra weapon. I remembered reading the reports on the Howling Commandos on their experience with Hydra. Hydra was a subdivision used by the Nazis during World War II that supposedly fell apart. I didn't know too much about it, but I was still in the learning process.

"I don't know about that, but it is powered by the cube. And I'd like to know how Loki used it to turn two of the sharpest men I know into his personal flying monkeys," Fury muttered.

"Monkeys? I do not understand." Oh Thor and your lack of knowledge with Midgardian humor.

"I do! I understood that reference," Steve announced.

Dad and I rolled our eyes at the comment. Leave it to Steve to make an even bigger fool of himself.

"Well doctor, shall we play?" dad asked after nudging Bruce. "Ada, make sure you stay out of trouble this time," he added to me.

I only rolled my eyes once again. "Dad, you know me better than anyone here," I muttered crossly.

"That's what scares me." He left at that, smirking as I stuck my tongue out at him.

Once he was gone the tension in the room seemed to lift. I hadn't even noticed that Natasha slipped away, though that was typical of her. There were times when I would know she was right behind me and would suddenly disappear. At least Clint usually let me know when he was around or hiding in the air vents.

"How can you stand being around him?" Steve muttered as he stood up. I folded my arms and ignored him, looking back at the agents getting to work. Of course the agent playing Gallaga started playing again once dad left. I was tempted to yell at him when I thought better of it. "What, are you giving me the silent treatment now?"

Again I chose to ignore him. "Hey Fury, where's the nearest gym in this place?" I asked when the boss walked by.

"Just down the hall to your left," Fury replied before he went off with Hill.

I glanced over my shoulder one last time before heading in that direction. Working out in the gym would help take away the stress I was starting to feel.

It didn't take me long to reach the gym. The gym itself was lined with a fitness center and even a simulation room for the real adventurous. I looked around until I found what looked like a room that had a center ring and punching bags placed beside it.

"Ada wait!" I didn't stop until I reached the punching bag. I put on a pair of gloves before swinging a well aimed punch, causing it to sway towards an unsuspecting Steve. "Can we talk?" he asked after catching it with ease.

"About what?" I demanded while throwing another punch. "I thought you didn't like any of the Stark's." He held on to the punching bag for dear life as I gave it a good kick.

"It's not that," he muttered. "Look, I was good friends with your grandfather, believe it or not. It's just that... your father is completely different from him, and not in a good way." It was clear Steve was trying to hide his frustration.

"And you think I'm just like him, don't you?" I asked in an accusing tone.

"No I just..." For once I didn't cut him off. Instead I noticed that he looked embarrassed more than anything else. "That night at the cafe, you were different than," he admitted.

"I'm just a world full of personalities." Steve rolled his eyes when he realized he wouldn't get anywhere this way.

"I guess what I'm trying to ask is why you're doing this?" I looked up at Steve, surprised he would even have the nerve to ask why. But it was clear from his expression that he didn't know. Didn't he know a thing about girls? That night at the cafe he had been completely different.

"Okay look, I'm only telling you this once," I sighed. "What you said before this whole Loki thing took off, that I can't be trusted. SHIELD's been keeping more secrets from me than I can count. That's part of the reason why I joined. To find those secrets."

Steve stared at me in disbelief as I said that. "Why would SHIELD keep secrets from their own agents?" he asked.

"That's the million dollar question right there." I leaned against the wall as I tried putting in my own thoughts there. Clearly some secrets were best kept hidden for the sake of others. But I was determined to figure out more about my past and why SHIELD was somehow involved with it. "All I've ever wanted was to find out who I really am," I whispered. Steve heard it loud and clear.

"Maybe when this is over you can find out," he said thoughtfully.

That's what I was planning. If I was going to discover my past, than I'd need to do this on my own. Only thing holding me back was SHIELD.

Thankfully Steve didn't press me further with questions. Right now I needed some alone time, and he seemed to realize that. I used the opportunity to try out some meditation, and see whether or not I could speak to Nadia again. Otherwise I would have to go back to the drawling board.


	30. Major Headaches

**Chapter Thirty**

* * *

_"We were alone on the road driving faster, So far from home we were chasing disaster Hard on the gas 'till the car caught on fire We had to laugh as the smoked billowed higher..." Dreams and Disasters, Owl City_

* * *

Meditating really worked wonders for me. I spent a few minutes just sitting in the room thinking. It was nice being able to catch up on my thoughts and focus my energy. With that taken care of I decided to explore the rest of the Hellicarrier and see what dad was up to. Knowing dad he'd be spending as much time with Bruce as possible.

The bridge was buzzing with activity, and I didn't miss the fact that Thor was busy talking to Coulson. I knew from what Clint had said that Coulson was now good friends with Thor. Or so it seemed. I wasn't sure just how well they got along until I approached them.

"As soon as Loki took the doctor we moved Jane Foster. We've got an excellent observatory in Traunsee. She was asked to consult there very suddenly yesterday. Handsome fee, private plane, very remote. She'll be safe," Coulson was saying as I got closer.

"Thank you. It's no accident Loki taking Erik Selvig. I dread what he plans for him once he's done. Erik is a good man." For the first time I noticed just how wary Thor really was.

This fight against Loki must have taken it's toll on him. I couldn't imagine what it was like fighting against a sibling. From the myths and legends I've read Loki was Thor's adopted brother. Loki's father had been killed by Thor's father, ironically enough. Loki had never gotten over the fact that he was adopted, and that was when he turned on Thor.

"He talks about you a lot. You changed his life. You changed everything around here," Coulson told him.

"They were better as they were. We pretend on Asgard that we're more advanced, but we...we come here battling like Bilchsteim."

Coulson made a face at that comment. Even I had no idea what Thor was talking about.

"What are Bilchsteim?" I asked. I really was curious.

"Bilchsteim. You know; huge, scaly, big antlers. You don't have those?" Thor looked at us both in surprise.

"Don't think so," Coulson replied.

"They are repulsive, and they trample everything in their path," Thor explained.

Well that just about made everything clear. I wondered if they looked anything like a dragon. But he didn't call them reptiles, so I could only assume they weren't. Would be cool though if dragons were real. They were and always would be my favorite mythical creature.

"When I first came to earth, Loki's rage followed me here and your people paid the price. And now again. In my youth I courted war." Thor was speaking again, this time in a modest tone as he talked about his days as a child.

"War hasn't started yet. You think you can make Loki tell us what the Tesseract is?" Fury suddenly asked. When did he show up? With my luck he was probably behind me the whole time.

I decided to leave the two talking, knowing full well it wasn't in my place to join in. Thor could deal with his brother issues on his own.

There was still parts of the Hellicarrier I had yet to explore. I had seen the progress of when it was still in the building process, but this was completely different. Fury really should think about putting maps or signs up for those who were new here.

Soon after exploring the endless halls I reached the lab where dad and Bruce had been. Bruce was busy looking at the monitors while dad had his hand stuffed in a bag of blueberries.

"Busy goofing off I see," I said in an accusing tone as I walked inside. Dad nearly fell over when he realized I was watching him.

The lab itself was impressive. A table was placed in the back against windows. On top of that table was the scepter Loki had been using. To the right of the table were the monitors Bruce was working on, while dad made himself look busy scanning the scepter. To the far side of the room were monitors that seemed to float in the air. I almost forgot that SHIELD used these.

They were the newest pieces of tech the world had to offer. It wasn't even available to the public yet, and I doubted it would be released any time soon.

"We can't keep this up until we figure out what Fury really wants with us," dad explained after stopping his pacing.

"Exactly what do you mean by that?" I asked, folding my arms.

"Come on Ada, you know as well as I do Fury wouldn't call us in unless there was a reason." I locked gazes with him, knowing full well I would never tell him the truth.

Truth was Fury had been designing weapons that the humans weren't ready for. Weapons that had attracted enemies like Loki. But I would never admit that. Phase 2 had to run smoothly if we were to continue operations.

"You really should get back to work," I muttered crossly.

"If we bypass their mainframe and direct a reroute to the Homer cluster, we can clock this around six hundred teraflops," dad suddenly pointed out, glancing over at Bruce. I raised an eyebrow in confusion, than understood what he meant by that.

"All I packed was a tooth brush," Bruce laughed.

"You know, you should come by Stark Towers sometime. Top ten floors, all R and D. You'd love it, it's candy land." Dad gave me a hopeful look, but I only shrugged.

Visiting the tower was up to Bruce. Knowing him he wouldn't want to deal with the stress New York provided. But it would be nice to actually spend time with him again, when the world wasn't in danger.

"Thanks, but the last time I was in New York I kind of broke...Harlem." I didn't miss the look Bruce gave me, as if daring to tell dad what had happened that night.

"Well, I promise a stress free environment. No tension. No surprises." Suddenly dad grabbed a small shocker device and poked Bruce with it. My heart nearly skipped a beat when Bruce let out a cry of surprise.

The glare I gave dad was one that would've sent anyone else running. But dad had gotten used to the looks by now. He even went as far as calling me a miniature version of Romanoff, which I was not! Thankfully Bruce didn't Hulk out like I was expecting.

"Nothing?" Dad looked at Bruce in surprise.

"Hey!" I held back a groan when Captain Buzzkill walked in. "Are you nuts?"

"Possibly," I muttered under my breath.

"You really have got a lid on it, haven't you? What's your secret? Mellow jazz? Bongo drums? Huge bag of weed?"

By now even I was getting annoyed with dad's over curiosity. I was tempted to shut him up when I thought better of it.

"Is everything a joke to you?" Steve demanded.

"Funny things are," dad replied.

"Threatening the safety of everyone on this ship isn't funny. No offense, doctor." Bruce only shook his head when Steve said that, while I was glaring at him.

"No, it..it's alright. I wouldn't have come aboard if I couldn't handle pointy things," Bruce said after looking up.

"You're tiptoeing, big man. You need to strut."

"And you need to focus on the problem, Mr. Stark," Steve muttered. He looked pointedly at me, and I only continued glaring. Was this going to be an everyday thing now?

"Alright, I'm out," I finally announced. All three of them looked at me in surprise. I was getting tired of their arguments. If this kept up I'd be losing control of my powers in seconds. Last thing they needed was for someone to take down the Hellicarrier.

I was surprised to run into Natasha on my way to the bridge. Or at least I hoped this was the way to the bridge. At this point I was getting used to being lost all the time. Until the Tesseract crisis was over I would need to find my own way around. She acknowledged my presence with a simple nod.

"Find anything about Loki?" I asked when she stopped for a moment.

"He's dangerous," she replied after giving her answer some thought.

"I've gathered that much," I murmured. "I take it he's not talking?" Again Natasha gave me a single nod before leaving me alone once more.

Well, nice to see you too. I took a deep breath before turning in the direction she last was. If memory served correctly that was where the prison was located. Maybe I could get Loki to talk. If simple methods weren't working, than scaring the crap out of him might work.

Sure enough I reached the room where Loki's prison was. It was a glass-walled prison that reminded me of something you would see from Star Trek. What caught my attention though was the fact that the prison hung over a hanger door. The control panels nearby seemed very tempting right now.

"You're the agent I've heard so much about." I paused in mid-walk when I heard that familiar voice. Looking back I noticed that Loki was now watching me, like I was his prey and he was the predator. "The one who controls Midgard itself."

_Don't respond_. _Don't let him know I'm listening_.

The thoughts went unheard as I turned to face him, walking a little closer to the prison. Loki smirked when I locked gazes with him.

"I can do a lot more than that," I stated, pride getting the better of me.

"Oh I'm sure you can." The smirk widened. Sudden wariness washed over me. I shouldn't trust Loki. He was dangerous. "You and I are very much alike," he suddenly continued.

"Really? You call killing innocent people something in common?" I demanded, my voice suddenly colder than I intended. The smirk faded into a frown.

"We don't know who our birth parents are," he sneered.

"True, but you aren't the last of your kind," I pointed out bitterly. Though to be honest I wasn't sure if that was true.

Why was I even talking to him again? Part of me screamed to get away while I could. But another part of me truly wanted to understand why Loki was doing this. I understood why he was so angry with Odin. After all Odin had treated Thor with high respects and treated him like crap. Those were not good parenting skills as far as I was concerned.

"It must be so lonely, being the only one of your kind," Loki said in a taunting voice. Once again I was tempted to push that button and release the cell, just to watch Loki fall into the ocean down below. But I stopped myself when he slammed his fists into the glass, causing the room to shake. "You will be hunted down like the mewling child you are! And I will watch as you cry your last breath, begging for mercy!"

Sudden fear took over when I realized just how powerful Loki was. He could easily kill me if he wanted to. And I had no doubts Clint had already told him about my future plans. Clint was the only person aside from Natasha I had ever trusted my secrets with. But scared as I was, I let bravery take over. I might not be prepared for what lay ahead, but that wasn't going to stop me.

Carefully I put on a poker face. Of all the things I've learned from SHIELD, it was to not show fear. Loki's smirk faded when he realized that his words did not effect me. In fact it seemed like he'd only made things worse for him.

"You may act like you're big bad and tough, but I'm stronger," I told him, making sure my voice didn't waver.

With that being said, I decided to leave Loki before he found a way to twist my words again.

Natasha was right about one thing: Loki wasn't about to spill out any secrets any time soon.

I was making my way back to the lab when someone grabbed me by the arm. My heart nearly skipped a beat as I turned to see an annoyed Steve Rogers standing behind me, carrying a Phase 2 prototype weapon.

"What is Phase 2?" he demanded as we walked into the lab.

"Look, Phase 2 is-" Dad beat me to it.

"Phase 2 is SHIELD uses the cube to make weapons," he explained while showing an image on the monitor. They were the blueprints to the weapons Fitz and Simmons had been working on. "Ada, what aren't you telling me?" he asked after looking back at me.

"Rogers, Stark, we gathered everything related to the Tesseract. This does not mean that we're..." Dad wouldn't let him continue.

"I'm sorry Nick," he began while zooming in on the images, "What were you lying?"

"Phase 2 has nothing to do with this," I pointed out.

"I was wrong, Director. The world hasn't changed a bit," Steve muttered.

"Did you know about this?" Natasha had stepped in between me and Fury as Steve walked further inside.

"You wanna think about removing yourself from this environment, doctor?" Natasha folded her arms and avoided meeting Bruce's gaze.

"I was in Calcutta, I was pretty well removed," Bruce replied.

"Loki's manipulating you." She may have meant it for Bruce, but her eyes flashed towards me. I returned the look with a roll of my eyes. There was no way in hell I'd let Loki manipulate me, right?

"And you've been doing what exactly?" Bruce demanded.

"You didn't come here because I bat my eyelashes at you." Natasha remained icily calm despite the situation Bruce was putting her in. God I wished I had her courage.

"Yes, and I'm not leaving because suddenly you get a little twitchy." No one was making you leave Bruce. Not if I had a say in the matter. He turned the screen dad had hacked into, showing an image of the Phase 2 weapons. "I'd like to know why SHIELD is using the Tesseract to build weapons of mass destruction," he added.

"Because of him." Director Fury pointed accusingly to Thor, who looked stunned that he'd be the reason behind anything.

"Me?" he asked warily.

"Last year earth had a visitor from another planet who had a grudge mass that leveled a small town," I explained after giving my answer some thought.

"We learned that not only are we not alone, but we are hopelessly, hilariously, out gunned," Fury finished for me.

"My people want nothing but peace with your planet." Thor did have a good point. My mother's people were in the same vote, and someone decided to slaughter them all anyways.

"But you're not the only people out there, are you? And, you're not the only threat. The world's filling up with people who can't be matched, they can't be controlled," Fury snapped.

"Like you controlled the cube?" Steve demanded.

"You're work with the Tesseract is what drew Loki to it, and his allies. It is the signal to all the realms that the earth is ready for a higher form of war," Thor explained.

A higher form of war. I remembered Fury warning us that something like this would happen. If SHIELD wasn't capable of defending the planet, they would need to rely on the Avengers. That was why the initiative was formed in the first place.

"You forced our hand. We had to come up with something."

"A nuclear deterrent, cause that always calms everything right down."

By now the argument was beginning to get overwhelming. The tension in the room was making my head hurt. And not just because of all the arguing.

"I thought humans were more evolved than this."

"Excuse me, did we come to your planet and blow stuff up?"

"You speak of control, yet you court chaos."

'_Will they ever shut up?_' I wondered to no one in particular.

'_These humans are quite amusing with their conflicts_,' Nadia replied. I could almost hear the smirk in her voice. '_Perhaps it is time for them to receive a wake up call_.'

I wasn't expecting Nadia to say something like that, but it made me smile. Suddenly the arguing had stopped. Everyone was staring at me in surprise. It took me a few seconds to see what they were staring at.

"Sorry," I murmured after hiding my necklace. That would take some getting used to. I never noticed that it glowed like that when I spoke to her. Maybe it was a sign that our bond was getting stronger, or something along those lines.

"With all due respect sir, I think she's the one we should be more concerned about," Steve suddenly pointed out to Fury.

"Touch her and I'll-" Steve cut dad off with a glare.

"Put on the suite, let's go a few rounds," he challenged. Thor's laughter made me jump in surprise.

"You people are so petty, and tiny."

Well so much for ending that argument. As Steve and dad started going at each others throats, an idea suddenly struck me. I stepped in between them, forming balls of fire on both hands. They both looked at me in shock when they realized what I was doing.

"That's enough!" I shouted over their arguing. "You're acting like a bunch of sissies in a playground, and it's getting tiresome! Start acting like adults and maybe we can call you a team."

"Doctor Banner, put down the scepter." I hadn't even noticed Bruce reaching out for the scepter. I turned slightly to see him holding it up, looking at the scepter in surprise.

At that moment the monitors began making beeping noises. Slowly I gathered my thoughts and saw what was going on. The Tesseract was nearby. But something was not right. The energy readings were way off the charts.

"Sorry, kids. You don't get to see my party trick after all," Bruce announced as he gently put back the scepter.

"You located the Tesseract?" Thor asked.

"I can get there faster!" Dad shouted as he started leaving.

"Look, all of us..." Steve stopped when he realized where he was going with that.

"The Tesseract belongs on Asgard, no human is a match for it," Thor grunted as he turned to leave.

Dad was starting to follow him when Steve stopped him. "You're not going alone!"

"You gonna stop me?" I rolled my eyes when dad asked that. Just how stupid was he?

"Put on the suit, let's find out," Steve snapped.

"I'm not afraid to hit an old man." That comment made me smirk. Leave it to dad to add a little humor to every bleak situation.

"Put on the suit." Suddenly the monitors began beeping more loudly, and I followed Bruce's gaze. I had to keep my jaw from dropping in horror.

"Oh my God," Bruce beat me to saying that.

Before any of us could react an explosion shook the entire ship. Glass shattered from the shockwave, and I was sent flying into the room down below while Bruce and Natasha were sent into another room. Pain seared through me when I realized a shrapnel of glass cut my arm and legs.

The fight for our lives had only just started. And something told me that it wasn't going to end well. Something told me that there would be casualties today. All I could do was hope and pray that someone wasn't anyone I was close to.

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**AN: Lots of foreshadowing here :) Thanks again Spinosa for reviewing! At least I know someone is actually taking their time reviewing.**


	31. Sacrifice

**Chapter Thirty One**

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_"'Cause I know that time has numbered my days, And I'll go along with everything you say, But I'll ride home laughing, look at me now The walls of my town, they come crumbling down..." Babel, Mumford and Sons_

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At first it felt like time had slowed down. The panicked cries of fellow agents on board quickly shattered that moment. It took a while for things to register. My grip on the floor only strengthened as I struggled to stand up. The pain from earlier began to slowly ebb away, replaced with raw anger.

"Ada, are you alright?" I heard dad's voice over the com. Taking a deep breath to keep my anger at bay, I stood up and held on to the nearest chair.

"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied. Glancing down at my legs I could see that I wasn't.

Glass had cut through me, leaving nasty looking wounds. I realized that my arms had also been grazed by the glass. If I did have healing powers than now would be a great time for them to activate. Unfortunately for me, they didn't.

So I did the best I could to limp on and find out where everyone was. The Hulk was loose on the ship, that much I gathered. I remembered seeing Natasha getting thrown into the same room as Bruce, but that was as much as I knew.

"Ada don't go and find us, we're fine," dad suddenly shouted over the com. I could hear wind rushing past him, and suddenly I had an idea of where he was.

I ran down the hall as fast as I could, ignoring dad's orders. Men were already down there that weren't part of SHIELD. I could see that they were heavily armed and well equipped for fighting. Without hesitation I knocked the first one out with a fireball. The other intruder started firing his gun at me when he realized he wasn't alone.

Pain immediately seared through me as I flipped back to avoid the bullets, catching another intruder in the nose with my shoes. The intruder let out a choked cry of pain as he stumbled into a wall. Once he was out I quickly made my way towards the hole in the wall where the rotors were located.

Sure enough Steve was in there struggling to take down the intruder I was fighting earlier. Before the intruder could react I threw a fist into the back of his head. Steve's eyes widened when he realized what I was doing.

"What are you doing here?" Steve demanded when I caught up with him. He was still clinging on to the machine gun for dear life. I held on to the rail as the force of the wind threatened to pull us both out.

"Saving your life," I snapped. "You're welcome by the way." I flinched when Steve suddenly raised the machine gun towards me, only to fire at another intruder inching his way towards us.

"You're welcome," he said with a grin.

"Stop talking and pull the lever!" dad suddenly shouted. I looked up to see that he was trying to get the rotors working again. Glancing back the panel was already fixed.

There was a gap between us and the lever. Without hesitation I jumped to the other side, ignoring Steve's protests as I pulled the lever. Dad was already being flung around as the rotors picked up speed. By the time the lever was pulled, he dropped to the floor next to us.

"What the hall was that?" dad asked as I helped him stand. The Hellicarrier was starting to lean down towards the ocean. At least I assumed it was the ocean.

"One of the engines is down!" I gasped as Steve caught me by the arm.

"Ada, get to safety now," dad suddenly ordered. "Last thing I need is for you to get hurt." He eyed the fresh wounds on my arms; I hadn't even noticed them until he looked at the cuts.

Rolling my eyes I knew there was no point in arguing. Besides, dad and Steve could obviously handle this task. There were bigger things to worry about. And I had a feeling one of those things involved a certain God of Mischief.

So I decided to run back to Loki's cell. If anyone could or would call off this attack it was Loki. All I needed to do now was scare the shit out of him if possible. But of course things never worked out the way I hoped or planned.

Thor was already on his way when he nearly ran into me.

"Daughter of Stark!" he shouted as he slowed down slightly.

"Son of Odin," I shouted back, holding a grin when he looked at me in confusion.

"You should not be here," he said after finally getting it.

"I'm allowed to go wherever I want," I retorted. "Loki's the reason behind this attack, I'm sure of it." Thor narrowed his eyes before leading the way down to Loki's cell. I skidded to a stop when I saw that the doors were open. Loki was just walking out when Thor suddenly lunged forward, trying to stop him.

I let out a squeal of surprise when someone grabbed me by the wrist. To my disbelief it was Coulson who had grabbed me. Looking back I saw a look of worry in his eyes, but he only held his hand up for silence. Carefully we sneaked our way to the control panel where the real Loki was now standing.

The clone inside the cell had vanished the moment Thor went through it. Loki smirked as Thor banged on the glass with his fists. Almost at once the cell began to shake as the hanger doors started opening. One more attack and the cell would drop. I couldn't imagine what that would be like, falling through the air like that.

"Are you ever not going to fall for that?" Loki sneered as he looked down at the control panel. Coulson was slowly inching his way towards Loki. I was quick to follow, shooting Thor careful looks as I did so. "Should we test that?" Loki's finger was aimed towards the drop button, and my heart nearly skipped a beat when Coulson stood up, revealing a large looking weapon. It took me a few seconds to recognize the weapon we'd worked on for months on end.

"Move away, please," Coulson ordered as he aimed the weapon towards Loki. The weapon was similar to that of the Destroyer that had attacked New Mexico. We made it so that the weapon worked almost exactly like the Destroyer. "You like this? We started working on the prototype after you sent The Destroyer. Even I don't know what it does. Do you wanna find out?" He started firing the weapon as if to prove his point.

Coulson barely had time to react as I pushed him out of the way. By the time I did it was too late. Loki appeared behind me. In that split second it took for me to push Coulson away, Loki had stabbed me in the stomach. It took a few seconds for the pain to register before the shock.

"No!" Thor slammed against the glass once again as he shouted. Loki grabbed me just as I was about to fall. I couldn't stop the bleeding even if I wanted to. The wounds on my leg and arm had healed, but this was different. This was a fatal wound.

"Did you really think you could win?" Loki sneered, his voice dropping to a whisper. He threw me to the side like I was a rag doll. I couldn't move, it felt like my legs were glued to the floor. "You're as pathetic as the rest of those mortals." As I started standing up again, my legs wobbling slightly, he caught me by the arms once more. "You can die with my brother!"

Before I could protest he shoved me into the cell. Thor caught me just as I was about to slam against the wall, his expression full of grief. Loki only smirked as he pushed the button that released the cell. In a matter of seconds the prison holding both me and Thor began to drop. That was when things started to go to hell.

. . .

"You're gonna lose." Phil was struggling to breath when Loki started leaving. Watching that cell drop was one of the toughest things he'd seen. He'd watched many people die even in his arms. But he had also watched Ada grow up into a fine young agent, only to see her die like that.

"Am I?" Loki turned to face the agent struggling to lean against the wall. He had already taken a serious blow to the hip when Loki started to leave.

"It's in your nature," Phil rasped. Loki's eyes narrowed to slits as he walked closer.

"You're heroes are scattered, your floating fortress falls from the sky. Where is my disadvantage?" he demanded. It was amusing watching the mortal struggle to even stand. He should end this agent's miserable life right here and now. But he had bigger plans for the future, and he wanted all of SHIELD to watch.

"You lack conviction," he replied.

"I don't think I-" Phil cut him off as he grabbed the weapon he had earlier. Without warning he fired the weapon, shooting Loki right through the wall.

"So that's what it does," he said as Loki disappeared.

. . .

"These were in Phil Coulson's jacket. Guess he never did get you to sign them." Fury tossed the cards onto the glass table. They were stained with blood, reminding what was left of the team what had happened.

Tony was beyond pissed. The idea that his daughter was dead had only just gotten to him. He remained oddly quiet while Steve looked down at the cards shamefully. All he did was rebuke Ada for being dangerous, and she had sacrificed her life for Coulson's. But in the end Coulson was nearly killed anyways.

"Where dead in the air up here anyways," Fury sighed. "Our communications, location of the cube, Banner, Thor... Ada. I got nothing for you. Lost my one good eye. Maybe I had that coming." He shook his head and took a deep breath before continuing.

Was all of this for nothing? Had SHIELD finally lost the one battle they could not win? Tony wasn't going to let that happen. He wasn't going to let Ada die for nothing. With every last ounce of his breath he would find her, one way or another. He had to.

"Yes, we were going to build an arsenal with the Tesseract. I never put all my chips on that number though, because I was playing something even riskier. There was an idea, Stark knows this, called The Avengers Initiative. The idea was to bring together a group of remarkable people, see if they could become something more. See if they could work together when we needed them to, to fight the battles that we never could. Ada Stark and Phil Coulson died still believing in that idea, in heroes." Tony suddenly stood up and walked off, leaving both Fury and Steve there in surprise. "Well, it was an old fashioned idea," Fury muttered.

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**AN: Sorry this chapter is so much shorter, but it had to be that way. Anywho, big thanks to dany1114 and Misaai for reviewing! They really mean a lot!**

**Misaai: Thank you so much for reviewing! Really even one review is better than nothing I always say. And I'm glad you're enjoying the story, it's far from over. I've got big plans for Ada in upcoming chapters. As far as relationships go, you'll have to wait and see ;)**


	32. The War Begins

**Chapter Thirty Two**

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_"I used to rule the world, Seas would rise when I gave the word Now in the morning I sleep alone Sweep the streets I used to roam..." Viva La Vida, Coldplay_

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I always wondered what it would be like to die. For the world around you to suddenly stop. At the moment the prison cell dropped, the world around me felt like it was frozen. I remembered feeling an intense pain burning through my stomach. Loki had stabbed me just when I pushed Coulson away. I couldn't let him die, not when he had so much more potential. He always said that I could be one of SHIELD's best agents. But I knew that he was lying. I knew that what he said wasn't true.

Truth be told I was not the best SHIELD agent. In fact I was probably the worst. I refused to follow orders. More often than not I usually got in the way. This time however things were different. I made a stand against Loki, and in the end it cost me my life.

Thor had grabbed me in a tight bear hug as we went tumbling down. Each time he slammed into the glass it sent an impact of pain through my body. I tried not to scream as we were tumbling down in different directions.

In truth the fall only lasted for seconds. Thor twisted around and tried breaking the glass with Mjölnir. The sudden motion caused me to gasp out in pain, but I only nodded at Thor in encouragement when he looked at me anxiously.

Finally the glass around us began to shatter. I flinched as the glass grazed my skin, stinging as it made contact. Thor landed so that he hit the ground first, keeping me from receiving the most damage.

Neither of us moved for a while after that. I found myself collapsed on the ground. My hand was where Loki had stabbed me in the stomach. It wasn't very surprising that Thor had sustained few injuries. In fact he looked relatively unharmed. Lucky bastard.

"Ada, you need medical attention immediately," Thor said as he finally stumbled to his feet. He was holding on to me as gently as he could, without causing too much pain. I ground my teeth at the jerky movements and struggled to remain calm.

"No, the team needs your help." I'm surprised I could speak at all after going through that. Thor gave me a smile out of pity. By now the pain was almost too much to bear. "Just leave me and finish the battle already." I held back a groan; it felt like my blood was on fire. What was happening? If anything I shouldn't be able to feel anything, especially if I was on the verge of death.

"I will not leave you Ada, not in this condition," he replied. "Is there anything I can do to help?" It was at that point his eyes widened in disbelief. I looked at him in confusion, trying to understand what was going on.

The pain was suddenly gone. I touched my hand where the wound was to feel nothing. It was at that point that I had almost forgotten one important factor about my powers. I had a healing ability. While I wasn't too familiar with the power, I had seen it work before.

A few seconds passed before the wound was fully healed. I looked at my necklace to see that it was glowing as well. Something about the necklace must have activated the power. I never had the courage to take it off. It's not like I would want to anyways. The necklace was my only way of communicating with Nadia.

"You can heal yourself." Thor's comment brought me back to reality. I looked up to see that he was just as surprised as I had been earlier. Taking a deep breath I stood up, trying to see whether or not I was able to stand.

"I suppose I can," I murmured thoughtfully.

"These powers of yours are impressive," he told me. "It is a shame that you are not Asgardian, my people would welcome you with open arms."

I highly doubted that. If his people knew what my people were, they probably wouldn't. But I dare not argue. I only knew that we needed to find the rest of the team and stop Loki.

"We need to head for New York," I suggested after giving it some thought. If Loki was looking for a power source, the best place to do so would be Stark Tower. After all it was powered by the Arch Reactor, the most powerful energy available.

"Why New York?" Thor asked, and when I explained the reason his eyes lit up with understanding. But his normally battle-ready expression was replaced with a solemn look. "My brother Loki has caused us all much pain," he sighed.

"You know it's not your fault Loki did this," I reassured him after patting him on the shoulder. Which was kind of difficult considering he was twice as tall as me. But I managed somehow.

"You speak as if I have nothing to do with this battle," he said. "I still love my brother even now, but what he has done is unforgivable. Fighting him will be difficult."

This time it was my turn to nod in understanding. I knew a bit what that was like, I mean not the whole brother thing but fighting someone I had once loved. Even now it brought back that familiar sense of pain.

"The fight will be difficult, but not impossible." Thor looked at me hopefully, realizing that I was right.

"Then to the fight we go!" he suddenly declared, raising Mjölnir in the air. There's the over confident Thor I always liked. Glad to see he's back.

He held on to me as he started to spin Mjölnir, preparing to take off. I remembered the way Jane had reacted when they first flew, so I held on for dear life as we took off. This was completely different from flying in a quinjet or helicopter. The air rushed past us, and it took a few moments for me to explain where New York was exactly as Thor asked for the directions.

Next time I'd rather fly by plane.

. . .

We landed at the tower in a matter of minutes. My legs were still shaking when Thor let me go. The whole flying thing reminded me of something else I rarely thought of. I knew I could already control the Earth, fire and water. And Bruce had suggested that I could control all the elements if that was even possible. What if he was right about that?

I looked over at the balcony we had landed on. This was the balcony that led to my room! Glancing up I noticed that Loki was already there, staring down at us in disbelief. God, that helmet made him look like an insect. And that was giving insects a bad name.

"Loki!" Thor shouted. "Turn off the Tesseract now or I will destroy it!" Yeah like that was going to work. Sure enough Loki only shot him a look of contempt.

"You can't! There is no stopping it!" he retorted. Suddenly his gaze turned towards me, eyes narrowing into tiny slits. "And you are supposed to be dead, mortal! And yet here you stand, acting as though nothing has happened to you."

Oh a lot has happened to me. More than Loki would ever care to know about. A flame appeared in the palm of my hand, and Thor couldn't stop me even if he wanted to from throwing it. Loki's sneer faded when the fireball hit him in the face.

"That's for what you did to us all, bastard!" I shouted.

"You should be grateful, mortal, that I did not deliver you a fatal wound," Loki sneered once again. Thor suddenly lunged forward and stopped Loki from attacking me. I used the chance to slip into my room and tighten security in the place.

"Jarvis, over-ride code 3178," I ordered as I ran through the hall. I needed to reach the living room; that was where dad had last been working on his latest invention. At least I hoped that's where he left it.

"Your father has over-ridden the over-ride code," Jarvis replied. I held back a sigh of frustration as I reached the bar. So much for jacking up the security dad. I guess he figured being Iron Man no one would dare break in or try attacking the tower.

"Jarvis we have two angry demi-gods duking it out on the balcony above us," I explained as I started typing in codes on a holographic keyboard. "Got any suggestions?"

I could always try blasting Loki off the roof, but that would risk hurting Thor in the process. I couldn't betray him after the way he helped me.

"Ada!" I looked up in surprise when I saw dad landing in front of me. The Iron Man suit looked pretty beaten up, but for the most part he seemed fine. "You're alive!" Before I could even react he rushed over and nearly squeezed me to death with a hug.

"I might not be in a few seconds!" I gasped as he finally released me.

"Don't you ever do anything like that again, understood?" he demanded, still sounding a bit shaken.

"I'm not making any promises," I replied with a grin. Without warning he tossed me an earpiece. I gratefully accepted it and turned it on.

"Glad to hear you're still alive kid," Clint said through the earpiece. "From what it sounded like you took a lot of damage." So I assumed that meant Natasha had knocked him back to his senses. At least that's what I'm hoping and that this isn't some kind of dream.

"She's fine guys," dad replied before I could speak up. "And you're staying here until we sort this out," he added to me.

He walked over behind the counter and grabbed the device he was working on nights ago. It was supposed to call the Iron Man suit from even a distance, kind of like Bluetooth. Amazing what you can do with technology these days.

I only rolled my eyes and ran over to the balcony where Thor and Loki were fighting. It was surprising to see how many Chitauri were already going through the portal, firing at innocent bystanders. What caught my attention though was the creature flying through the portal. The creature reminded me of those things you see in the third Transformers movie. Only seeing them up close was much more terrifying.

"Stark, are you seeing this?" Steve's question made me look down at the quinjet Clint was most likely flying. It was hovering just in front of the creature, engines running at full force.

"I'm seeing, still working on believing. Where's Banner? Has he shown up yet?" It took me a few seconds to see that dad was flying in front of the creature, or as close as he could get without getting himself injured. And he was sporting a new suit as well.

"Banner?" I asked. Why wasn't Bruce with them in the first place? Then I remembered that Bruce had Hulked out in the Hellicarrier hours ago. He must have been thrown off or something and crash landed somewhere.

"Just keep me posted," dad replied.

"Look at this! Look around you! You think this madness will end with your rule?" Thor grabbed Loki by the collar of his suit. I was tempted to kick Loki's ass myself, but something stopped me.

"It's too late. It's too late to stop it," Loki snapped.

"No. We can, together." Pity suddenly swelled within me when I heard the hope in Thor's voice. As far as I was concerned there was no stopping Loki. He meant to take over the world with war, and anything that stood in his way suffered the consequences.

Suddenly Loki stabbed Thor in the stomach with a small knife. I grimaced at the sight as Thor stumbled and released his grip, dropping Loki to where I was standing. Loki looked up at me, eyes gleaming with malice.

"Sentiment!" he sneered. I didn't get a chance to make a retort as he grabbed me by the arm. Anger surged through me when he threw me over the balcony. "Let us see if you can survive that!" Loki called as he jumped onto one of the crafts the Chitauri were flying.

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**AN: So yep, I'm updating in the whee hours of the morning while everyone else is asleep. Or so I would assume. This was fun to write, and a cliffhanger. Let's see if anyone actually reviews it.**


	33. In Which Loki Gets Smashed

**Chapter Thirty Three**

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_"It's the moment of truth, and the moment to lie, The moment to live and the moment to die, The moment to fight, the moment to fight..." This Is War, 30 Seconds to Mars_

* * *

Panic set in as I started falling. For the first time I realized how many times I had been on the brink of death, only to fight back, to survive. This was different. Chitauri were flying everywhere. The Leviathan thingy was flying in different directions, smashing buildings in the process. Among the debris and avoiding getting shot at by Chitauri, I'm pretty sure this was my least favorite life event so far. That term you only live once came far too close for me.

It was than I noticed the air around me began changing. The Chitauri were flying away from me when they noticed it as well. Glancing around I realized too late that I had reached the ground. But instead of smashing into it like I was expecting, I landed in a rush of wind on my feet.

What the hell was that? I looked around warily. The wind had already stopped as fast as it had started. By now dad was leading the Leviathan to a corner, and it didn't take me long to spot the rest of the Avengers gathering around after their ship was shot down. I ran over to them once I recovered from the shock.

"You think you can hold them off?" Steve was asking as he looked between Natasha, Clint and me. Looks like the guy was finally warming up to me.

"Captain," Clint began as he pulled out his bow, "it would be my genuine pleasure." The Chitauri closest to us fell almost instantly when he fired an arrow. Natasha nodded to Steve reassuringly, giving the Captain time to rush off to who knows where.

"Glad to see you're back," I said after kicking one of the Chitauri in the face. Another was running right at me, guns firing until I threw a chunk of rock at it. "Natasha hit you in the head?" I couldn't help but grin when he glared at me.

I was helping Clint rescue the last of a group of people who were stranded in a bus. "You could say that," he muttered crossly.

The mother of a girl I rescued repeatedly thanked me until I ordered them both to flee. Once they were gone I started firing at the rest of the Chitauri while Clint and Natasha joined forces once more. The two of them were working like a team, each one taking out another Chitauri like it was nothing.

"Just like Budapest all over again!" Natasha shouted over the firing of weapons and panicked screams.

"You and I remember Budapest very differently," Clint shouted back. Okay, what the hell happened in Budapest? I didn't get a chance to ask.

A Chitauri had gotten close enough to grab me by the neck, nearly choking me to death. But I jammed my elbow into it's ribs, knocking the Chitauri out. The Chitauri was dead in seconds as I ran after the next one firing at Natasha.

Thankfully it didn't take long for Thor and Steve to join us. He looked exhausted after fighting his brother for so long.

"The powers surrounding the cube is impenetrable," Thor explained when Steve asked what's happening at the tower.

"Thor is right, we gotta deal with these guys," dad replied. I looked up to see him flying over us, keeping any Chitauri from getting closer.

"How do we do this?" Natasha asked.

"As a team," Steve said after giving it some thought.

"I have unfinished business with Loki," Thor stated, and I couldn't agree more with him. Right now I was more than ready to kick Loki's ass again, especially after what the bastard did to me.

"Yeah, get in land," Clint muttered.

"Save it. Loki's gonna keep this fight focused on us and that's what we need. Without him these things could run wild. We got Stark up top, he's gonna need us..."

Steve was cut off by the sound of a motor running. My heart nearly skipped a beat when I saw Bruce riding the motorcycle. Before anyone could react I rushed over to give him a hug. To my surprise he actually hugged back after shaking off his own shock. It was great to see him again.

"So, this all seems horrible," he said with a shrug.

"I've seen worse." I looked at Natasha in surprise before remembering that she had been attacked by the Hulk.

"Sorry," he apologized.

"No, we could use worse," I stated, earning looks from everyone. Well it was true. Nothing could get any worse than this.

"Stark, we got him, Banner, just like you said," Steve relayed the news to dad.

"Tell him to suit up. I'm bringing the party to you." My eyes narrowed in confusion as dad started flying towards us. To my shock he was leading the giant Leviathan towards us, leaving everyone on edge.

"I don't see how that's a party," Natasha pointed out.

I couldn't agree with her more. Almost at once pieces of rock began floating around me as I took a defensive position. There was no way in hell I'd let that creature get any closer without a fight.

"Dr. Banner, now might be a good time for you to get angry," Steve said to Bruce.

Bruce started walking towards the Leviathan with a renewed confidence. Really I've never seen him like this, and it was kind of a nice change.

"That's my secret, Captain. I'm always angry." In seconds he had transformed into the Hulk, smashing the Leviathan into pieces. Dad flew in just as the creature was about to lean against us as it fell, cutting it in half so that it couldn't crush us.

Looked like Loki wasn't too fond of our handy work. More Chitauri and Leviathans started pouring out of the portal. By now most of the streets were cleared when people realized what was happening. I assumed they were hiding in buildings or fled the city in general.

"Guys." Natasha was following my gaze as more of them were headed in our direction.

"Call it Captain," dad said.

"Alright, listen up. Until we can close that portal up there, we're gonna use containment. Barton, I want you on that roof, eyes on everything. Call out patterns and strays. Stark, you got the perimeter. Anything gets more than three blocks out, you turn it back or your turn it to ash," he ordered.

"Wanna give me a lift?" Clint asked after looking at dad uneasily.

"Right. Better clench up, Legolas." I couldn't resist laughing at dad's joke, earning a glare from Clint. I'm sure he'd get me for that later on if we survive this.

"Thor, you've gotta try and bottleneck that portal, slow them down. You've got the lightning, light the bastards up," Steve added to the big guy. Thor simply nodded and flew off to the Empire State Building, the tallest building in the city. Quickly Steve looked Natasha and Hulk, who was now watching us curiously. "You and me, we stay here on the ground, keep the fighting here. And Hulk, smash!"

The Hulk only smiled in response before flinging himself into several Chitauri. Meanwhile I was left defending myself as more Chitauri started running after me. Steve fought alongside Natasha like they had trained for this their whole lives. Well in truth they pretty much had been doing this for so long.

"You know I can fight just as well as everyone else!" I shouted as I flipped back and kicked another Chitauri square in the chest, or whatever body part it was.

Steve looked at me uneasily as he punched another one to the ground. "I figured you're better off following your own orders," he admitted.

He flinched when a large chunk of rock was sent flying into the face of a Chitauri. "Fury assigned me to this team for a reason," I snapped. "I'd at least like to play a part in it!"

He was about to say something when Natasha cut him off. "Are you two going to argue all die or actually fight?" she demanded after knocking out several Chitauri at once. "Captain, none of this is gonna mean a damn thing if we don't close that portal," she added warily.

"Our biggest guns couldn't touch it," Steve pointed out. It took me a few seconds to understand what he meant by that.

"Maybe it's not about guns," I put in. They both looked at me as if I was nuts, than Natasha's eyes lit up with understanding. She glanced at Steve and nodded once, than he understood the meaning.

"You wanna get up there, you're gonna need a ride," he warned us.

"I've gotta ride." Before either of them could protest a large piece of pavement hovered near me. By the time I was up in the air, Natasha had already gotten her own ride. She managed to hitch a ride on one of the Chitauri ships, much to my amusement.

This was something I had never done before with any of my powers. Controlling the Earth itself was difficult when someone was shooting at me. Luckily though Clint had already fired an arrow at one of the Chitauri chasing me. I was quick to thank him as I made my way to the tower.

I wasn't surprised to see how damaged it was. Two letters had been taken off of the word Stark, leaving it as STA instead. Part of the living room had been destroyed with broken glass and windows. And the lower floors were shattered by the Chitauri landing on the building.

With one swift movement I landed in the living room, avoiding the broken glass in the process. When I did land I threw the chunk of rock into the face of a Chitauri trying to follow me. I couldn't help but grin as the Chitauri fell, stunned by the impact.

Death was never something to celebrate. But it did feel damn good knocking these guys out for what they were doing. The portal was on the roof, so I still needed to take the elevator to reach it. Hopefully it wouldn't take me too long.

Just as I was about to leave a certain Demi-god rolled onto the balcony. My heart nearly skipped a beat at the sight of Loki. He looked pretty beaten up already as he struggled to stand, eyes widening when he realized I was watching him.

"You know, you have a lot of nerve showing up here," I muttered as I folded my arms and glared. Loki's appearance altered at once as he stood up. He no longer looked beaten up or exhausted. In fact he looked stronger than ever.

"I am a God you benevolent creature!" Loki retorted. "You are beneath me and will-" I cut him off with a wave of my hand, earning another glare.

"Yeah yeah, I'm a pathetic mortal who will supposedly bow down to you," I said with a roll of my eyes. "But let's take a look at things; here you are fighting a pointless battle you will obviously lose, and here you are at my mercy. I could easily kill you if I wanted to, but I haven't." I add the last part with a warning tone in my voice, and Loki's eyes flashed with hatred.

Just as I said that the Hulk smashed his way into the living room. I watched on in amusement as the Hulk roared at Loki, who by now was trying to put on an act of bravery.

"Enough! You are all of you beneath me! I am God, you dull creature, and I will not be bullied by..." Loki's rant was cut short as the Hulk grabbed him by the leg and started throwing him around, doggie style.

I couldn't help but wince as Loki was smashed into the floor several times, leaving nasty looking dents. Finally the Hulk dropped Loki one final time and looked back at me.

"Puny God," Hulk spat as he started to walk away. This was definitely a Kodak moment. I wished I had a camera with me. Loki's expression was almost as priceless as watching the Hulk toss him around like a broken toy. Still seeing him there with those injuries was almost pitiful.

"Hey Bruce," I said with a smile. The Hulk turned to look at me. The grin he gave me was just as amusing, and I couldn't help but grin back.

Once he was gone I rushed over to where Loki was laying down. His breathing had become ragged, and I knew just by looking at him no human would survive something like that. The look he gave me was a look that would normally send anyone else running.

"Why are you still here?" he choked out as I observed the wounds he received. They were pretty bad looking, but I should be able to heal them if I was capable of healing myself.

"Because, believe it or not, I don't like watching people die," I admitted. "I've seen too many people die in my lifetime." Loki raised an eyebrow at that comment, but said nothing. Instead he grimaced as I started to heal his wounds as best as I could. "Just keep pretending you're injured," I said under my breath when I realized that it was over.

Natasha must have found Loki's scepter. I had a feeling that was how she could close the portal.

In a matter of minutes Loki was struggling to stand up at the bar, while I hid myself behind it. The battle was over. I could breath in a sigh of relief. For now at least.

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**AN: In the spirit if getting all those reviews, I am updating quickly :) Plus considering I left it on a cliffhanger I think people deserve to know what happened. So thank you thedarkness15 and Spinosa for reviewing! Really appreciate those reviews, and keep 'em up!**


	34. This Isn't The End

**Chapter Thirty Four**

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_"How close is the ending, well nobody knows The future's a mystery and anything goes, Love is confusing and life is hard You fight to survive 'cause you made it this far..." This Isn't The End, Owl City_

* * *

Shawarma was something I've never had before until now. For some reason dad insisted on buying dinner for everyone. There was a small Shawarma joint not too far from where we had given Loki to Fury. And after the heat of battle everyone was drained of any energy.

It was nice being able to sit there, but we sat in awkward silence. Clint was busy reading a book, Natasha kept on her poker face as everyone else ate. I was too busy wondering what my next move was to bother eating.

"So, now you can control air right?" Bruce asked after not being able to stand the silence. It took a while for the Hulk to calm down, but when he did it was nice to see Bruce again. In fact he seemed happier than ever being surrounded by what he assumed were his friends.

I shrugged after thinking it over. So far I could control four elements, and I could heal wounds. That power had come in handy when I started healing bystanders that were injured during the battle. At first they had been reluctant to let me heal them, until dad showed up.

"Ada, I'm sorry for the way I reacted earlier," Steve said when another wave of silence followed.

The apology earned a glare from dad, but I only smiled back. Couldn't blame Steve for being a bit judgmental. Considering what dad probably put him through I suddenly understood his sudden change in attitude.

"It's strange really, being here and realizing that we're alive to live another day," I admitted. "Kind of makes you rethink your goals in life." I glanced over to Clint, who by now was fed up with the distractions and started eating his sandwich.

"Kid, my brain hurts enough already," Clint muttered after finishing his meal. "I don't need the metaphors."

"But seriously, being able to control four elements out of who knows how many, that's pretty impressive," dad said. "You sure you're not a mutant?"

I noticed the few people that were in the room grimaced at the term. Mutants were always looked down upon by humans. They often were referred to as creatures that needed to be locked up. But mutants were just like humans as well, with emotions and everything. It's not like they could help the fact that they were born with those powers.

"Ada comes from a long line of people not well known to humans," Natasha explained before I could answer. "SHIELD's been trying to find out more about the Aliquid for years, but so far we've come up with nothing, until now." She looked at me sympathetically, and I only rolled my eyes.

So what she said was true. I really was the last of my kind. I wasn't sure if I should feel hurt about that. The worst part was that according to Fury the people that hunted down the Aliquid were still out there, looking for me.

"Your daughter is quite special indeed Stark," Thor commented. He'd been too busy stuffing his face earlier to speak. And of course he chose now of all times to speak up.

"Wait, what are the Aliquids?" dad asked, confusion written across his face. Steve and Bruce looked equally as confused.

Natasha and Clint exchanged knowing looks. Where did they get all this information from? Than I realized that Coulson must have told them at some point.

"They originally weren't from around here," Clint replied. "Apparently the Aliquid comes from an unknown planet, but their home world was destroyed by Galactus."

My eyes widened at the mention of the giant devourer of planets. I'd read so many horror stories of Galactus destroying planets. No one knew too much about him aside from the fact that he's been around since before the beginning of time.

"So the Aliquid managed to escape before Galactus destroyed their planet?" Steve asked.

It was obvious he was fascinated with the idea. I had a feeling in his time the idea of aliens existing were both fascinating and fearful. Back than humans didn't know whether or not the aliens would pose a threat.

"That's about as much info as we could get," Natasha replied. "There are others studying the Aliquid, but that information is classified."

I held back a smirk that was starting to form. Other people knew about my past. Maybe I could find these people and figure out the story behind my existence, and the true extent of my powers.

With that being said, the Shawarma night ended all too quickly. Dad and I returned to Stark Tower to see what repairs needed to be done. The others were given rooms to sleep in until morning arrived. All in all the night was pretty uneventful compared to what happened hours ago. If only life could always be like this.

. . .

"Romanoff and Barton told the team," Fury announced as he approached Phil. The said agent had made a full recovery and was now standing in front of a window that overlooked the damaged city. It would take weeks for Damage Control to clean things up. Hopefully Tony would provide some help.

"So they know the truth, and so does Ada," Coulson sighed. He turned to face Fury. The Director looked tired after battling with the Council for hours on end. Coulson couldn't blame him for his exhaustion. "We both agreed that we would keep the truth from Ada, until she was ready." He added the last part in an accusing tone.

"She has the right to know," Fury snapped after pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Her life is in danger, now more than ever."

"Which is why she would've been better off not knowing!" Coulson retorted. He hated arguing, but at this point he was fed up with the lies and deceit that fell upon SHIELD's shoulders. "She's going to run, you know that sir."

"I had a feeling she would run once she found out." Despite the situation Director Fury seemed oddly calm. "She needs to learn about her past on her own. And when she finds out what happened, she'll be ready."

"Ready for what?" Coulson raised an eyebrow out of curiosity.

"You'll find out soon enough," he replied.

. . .

"Hey Steve, can I ask you a favor?" We reached the park in a few minutes, each of us taking different methods of transportation. To my surprise Steve had offered me a ride on his motorcycle, much to dad's disdain. But I didn't argue. Last thing I needed was listening to dad and Bruce talk about science at the moment.

"What?" Steve looked at me in confusion as we pulled to a stop. It took him a few seconds to understand what I meant.

"I was hoping you could give me a ride to Manchester New York," I admitted, trying to hide the guilt in my voice. It was a long ways away from here.

"You do realize that's almost a day's drive from here." I knew full well what the driving time would be like, especially with traffic. Which was why I had considered going there on foot. But that would only take just as long.

"I know that it's asking a lot, but I really need to talk to someone there," I explained. "They might know more about the Aliquid, and my past."

Finally Steve nodded in understanding. He may not know about the X-Men or the mutants, but he did understand the urgency in my voice. That was enough for me. And thankfully he didn't argue as we walked over to the center.

Everyone else was already waiting. Dad had his arms folded in annoyance as I stood next to Steve, ignoring his look. Natasha and Clint were standing together, while Thor and Loki stood in the middle of the semi-circle.

"My friends, the time to leave is now," Thor announced as he realized we all arrived.

"Take care of yourself," I replied with the faintest smiles. I hated goodbyes. So I refused to say the word.

"You too, daughter of Stark. It was an honor fighting alongside you, my friends. Now Loki will face his punishment in Asgard." He looked pointedly at said half-brother. Loki's mouth was muffled, and he was wearing some kind of Asgardian handcuffs.

After giving it a lot of thought, it didn't take much to convince Fury that the Tesseract belonged on Asgard, it's rightful home. Dad and I spent most of the night building a special case for it so that Thor could take it back.

Natasha whispered something to Clint, causing him to smile in response. Whatever she had said must have made him feel better. I'm sure he was hoping to kick Loki's ass a few more times after what Loki had done to him.

All too soon Thor and Loki twisted the capsule that was holding the Tesseract. In a brilliant flash of blue, the two were sent to back Asgard. It was sad having to watch Thor leave, but good to know Loki would be punished for his crimes. Though Loki for all his horrible acts seemed oddly quiet the night of his capture.

I remembered walking by his cell that night at the tower. At first the look he gave me was a vengeful one. But the look had changed into something entirely different. It was one of fear. Loki was afraid of something, or someone. Whatever he was afraid of, I could only hope it didn't affect us somehow.

"You going somewhere?" dad asked as Clint handed me the bag I had requested. I simply nodded in response and looked back at Steve.

For all the times I'd yelled at him he wasn't too bad. I still hadn't forgiven him for what he said that time on the Hellicarrier, but that didn't stop us from becoming friends. And dad didn't like that one bit.

"For a short while," I replied after thanking Clint. He and Natasha drove together, so they were off the minute Thor and Loki were gone. Most likely to speak with Fury about the next plan of action. "There's a bit of soul searching I need to do, and I can't stay here," I explained.

"Ah, this is about what they said last night, isn't it?" he asked warily. I rubbed my arm in embarrassment; dad knew me too well.

"It's not just that," I admitted. "All this time I sort of knew about them, but I only had these visions in dreams... they were horrible nightmares, and all I could do was watch them die at the hands of those hunters, all because they were different."

Dad already knew about the nightmares. I had already told him about them all those nights ago. But what he didn't realize was that the nightmares were real. They they actually happened at one point in history. Gently he put a hand on my shoulder and smiled back.

"I hate having to let you go, especially if Roger's gonna be there," he told me, his voice dropping to a whisper.

"Dad, I'll be fine," I reassured him. "I won't be gone for too long." At least I hoped that was the case.

"Alright, but make sure you call every few days, and kick the ass of anyone who tries to hurt you." Before I could get away he pulled me in for a hug. I couldn't resist hugging him back, knowing that this would be the last time we saw each other for a while.

Once we parted I waved goodbye to Bruce, hoping that we'd see each other again soon. Steve was already waiting for me on the motorcycle as I approached him. I swung the bag Clint had given me over my shoulder and sat down behind him, ready for the next adventure that lay ahead of me.

"Are you sure about this?" Steve asked.

"I am," I replied.

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**AN: So there's the end of the Avengers! Did I forget to mention that the X-Men will be included? They may not play a too important roll in the story, but I felt the need to include them. Also wanted to thank McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon for reviewing! Thanks again :)**


	35. Xavier's School For The Gifted

**Chapter Thirty Five**

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_"Some bright morning when this life is over I'll fly away, To that home on Gods celestial shore I'll fly away..." I'll Fly Away, Allison Krauss_

* * *

Manchester New York. It wasn't anything like the big city I was used to. It reminded me more of those quaint little towns you see with unique downtown areas and shopping districts. People gave us curious looks as we drove down the main street towards our destination. After stopping by for directions several times we had finally found where the building in question was. Steve was thankful to stop a few times and grab a bite to eat. While we took our breaks I took the time to do some more studying before we got any closer.

So far I've learned quite a lot about the X-Men and how they formed. Apparently a professor by the name of Charles Xavier had discovered a gene known as the X-Gene. Few people knew about it, but it effected many humans. It caused the human in question to gain powers that turned them into mutants. Mutants were often frowned upon by the public. Wars had been fought over to keep peace between mutants and humans, and some humans believed mutants should even be locked up for life.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Steve pulled to a stop when we reached what looked like a small driveway. Undergrowth had taken over the wrought-iron fence, covering the sign posts that signaled where we were.

"Positive," I replied after dusting off the sign. It looked like this area hadn't been cleaned in months. I'm sure that they made sure it looked that way for a reason. The sign read '_Xavier's School for the Gifted_'. "Thanks again Steve," I added while giving him some cash for the trouble he'd gone through. Steve looked at me in surprise while I just grinned. "Don't worry about the cash, dad won't even notice."

He only shook his head. "No, you keep it. You might need it for later," he told me. Before I could argue he drove off, leaving me in the dust. I resisted the urge to shout something as he disappeared over the hill. There was no point in starting a fight, especially when the people in this school could easily kill me.

I eyed the massive gate warily, not sure what to expect as it mysteriously opened. It didn't take me long to notice there weren't any security cameras hidden in the bushes or trees. Someone in the school could obviously sense my presence. So I made it a point to clear my mind and keep all thoughts of SHIELD aside. There was no need to stir panic among these people.

Soon the winding driveway turned into a large garden. I was amazed by the sight that stood before me. To my left was a graveyard where past mutants were buried. A gazebo overlooked the garden and graveyard on a hill that led to the massive mansion I'd only seen in pictures. When I turned around as I got further up the hill I could see a wonderful view of Manchester. It took a while for me to take everything in, and I didn't notice that I was being watched.

"Don't you read signs kid?" I flinched when a voice spoke up, breaking me off of my concentration. I turned to see a tall looking man with dark brown hair and red sunglasses covering his eyes. His arms were folded in annoyance as he looked down at me. "No humans allowed," he added in a gruff tone.

"Forgive me for trespassing," I apologized when I realized that he wasn't alone. A woman around the same age as him stepped in beside him, eying me warily. Her dark red hair reminded me of Natasha in every way. "I was hoping I could speak with Professor Xavier." The two exchanged looks before the woman pointed towards me.

"I've seen her on the news before," she explained, and all at once any hope I felt earlier faded away. "You're Tony Stark's daughter, aren't you?" She looked back at me as I said yes. "I think we can trust her," she suddenly said. The man raised an eyebrow at her questioningly before she whispered something. "Come with us, Charles is already waiting for you," she added.

I looked at them warily before following them, suddenly realizing just how dangerous this mission was. If they decided that I was a threat than I had no hope of escaping. Hopefully if this Professor X guy was as good as they claimed, he would know I wasn't here to harm anyone.

As we walked in I could see just how huge this mansion really was on the inside. The mansion looked like it still retained that twentieth century feel. It was rare to find buildings like this nowadays, and a nice surprise. But what really surprised me was the group of students walking by. They were being led by a woman with darker skin and nearly white hair. She simply smiled at me as the group walked past us, shooting me wary looks as they did.

"This school is for children who are learning how to harness their powers," the woman explained as we walked down a long hallway. "Here they're taught the history of our kind, every science and math you can imagine, and other classes."

I was amazed at how much went on in here. It made me realize just how much Professor Xavier cared for his students. Originally this had been his home, but he opened it up to all mutants in need of a place to live and learn.

"Please, come in." We hadn't even reached the large door when it opened. My heart nearly skipped a beat when I saw an older gentleman sitting in the office-like room on a wheelchair. "Ada Stark, I was wondering when we would finally meet," he said as we shook hands. I hardly noticed the other stranger in the room, eying me with extreme caution. "As you are likely aware, I am Professor Charles Xavier, but you may call me Charles," he explained.

"Thank you," I murmured, suddenly feeling sheepish. He had already known we would meet. Had he already read my mind?

"To answer your question, no I haven't," he admitted. "At least not until now." He didn't realize that I wasn't introduced to the three people standing around me, looking at us both now with suspicion. "My apologies Ms. Stark, this is Logan, Scott Summers and Jean Grey," he introduced them.

"Hi." Logan didn't answer. In fact he only glared at me once again. Scott and Jean were more than happy to shake hands and leave us to talk. "I'm sorry for intruding on your property sir," I said once I looked back at the professor.

"There's no need to apologize," Charles replied.

"So, can you look into the future or something?" I asked curiously.

"No, to put it simply I can read minds and communicate with others through their minds," he explained. "I could read your mind loud and clear even before you reached the school."

I couldn't help but blush when he said that. Logan only scoffed and walked out of the room as we started talking, realizing that this conversation clearly had nothing to do with him. You know, that was just plain rude.

"The strange thing is it seems as though someone else is trying to communicate with you," he added.

That made me look at him in surprise. Could he sense Nadia's presence? As if on cue I could feel her thoughts brushing against mine almost instantly.

'_He is powerful_,' she commented. '_But unlike him, all of our people have this power when our spirits linger_.'

The professor stared at me in disbelief when he heard what she said. I still wasn't sure how far the Aliquid went when it came to their powers. If they were anything like mutants than their powers could easily evolve. I often wondered if that was what had happened to me.

"You are of the Aliquid," he finally concluded.

"Professor, do you know anything about my people?" I suddenly asked. "I've been searching for answers for years, but everything comes up dry. Even SHIELD doesn't know about them."

He let out a sigh as he rolled over to his desk. "I am afraid I cannot answer your question," he replied after pulling out what looked like a small but heavy book from one of the drawers. "Your people were very secretive, and understandably so. They mostly kept to themselves in small villages until they were hunted down."

"So that's it? Nothing else?" I let out a sigh of frustration as he shook his head. So much for finding answers. Looked like Nadia was the only one who could tell me, and she might not even say anything about the truth. "Thank you, for telling me this at least," I murmured when I realized there wasn't much I could do.

I grabbed my bag and was ready to leave when he suddenly made a suggestion that stopped me in my tracks. "Why don't you stay here for a few days," he suggested, "Perhaps we can learn from one another."

I stared at the professor in disbelief, unsure what to say to that. Why anyone would trust me so quickly was beyond me. Training 101 from SHIELD suggested not to trust anyone outside the agency. Trust was something that needed to be earned.

"A curious proposition, is it not?" he asked. "Letting someone who was and is an agent of SHIELD stay with us."

Finally I couldn't help but grin as I realized what an opportunity this would be. Watching these people in action would be a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not only would it give me a better understanding but I could possibly convince others that mutants were indeed not a threat.

"Thank you," I replied. "I'd love to take your offer."

"Wonderful." He clasped his hands together just as the door to the office swung open. It wasn't surprising to see that someone was listening in on our conversation. The woman with white hair from earlier had returned to the office, watching us both curiously. "Ororo, please show Ada around the school, she has agreed to stay with us for a few days," he explained.

The teacher known as Ororo nodded in agreement. I looked at her warily before grabbing my bag and waving goodbye to the professor. This just got a whole lot more interesting. And something told me that this was only the beginning of something much bigger.

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**AN: These next few chapters might be a little shorter than usual, and I apologize for that. Also we're moving on to the next part, which would be part four! Super excited to keep moving on, but I will be taking a short break from writing. I should return by Sunday if all goes according to plan. Not making any promises though unless people start asking for updates ;)**

**EDIT: Forgot to thank everyone for reviewing! Thank you so much, love you all and God bless! :D**


	36. A Small Explanation

**Chapter Thirty Six**

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_"Whispers in the dark, Steal a kiss and you'll break your heart Pick up your clothes and curl your toes Learn your lesson, lead me home..." Whispers In The Dark, Mumford and Sons_

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"And this is where everyone has lunch together," Ororo finished as the tour came to an end.

She was much friendlier than I was expecting. In fact she seemed happy sharing the story of how this school had started and showing me around. It was a nice change in pace after spending so long with SHIELD. Some of the students had even stopped by to chat before getting to their classes.

"This place is amazing," I murmured. It took a while for the information to sink in. This school was more than just your average boarding school. Here the students were well cared for in every way. If I were a mutant I'd love going to a school like this.

"You're one of the few humans to step foot in this building," she explained. We sat down at a table after getting something to eat. I was grateful for that; last time I ate was yesterday. Ororo had insisted on getting something to eat before we continue talking. "But seeing as you're not actually human, we've made an exception."

I looked at her warily before realizing what she meant by that. "Natasha and Clint were saying that the Aliquid come from a distant planet," I said thoughtfully. "Wonder which planet they came from."

"These people sound fascinating," Ororo replied. "I would never expect people from another planet to look so... human," she admitted, sounding guilty almost immediately. After all not all of the mutants she had befriended in the past looked human.

"That's what always bothered me," I murmured. By now more students were coming in for their lunch break. Several had stopped to look at me before realizing I wasn't a threat. "Why do they look human if they're from another world?"

Although truth be told Thor came from another world and he looked human. A very muscular and loud human, but human nonetheless.

"Is she a new student?" A girl around my age stopped by us, looking rather confused. She had long dark brown hair with streaks of blond highlights. Standing beside her was a kid around her age with spiky blond hair.

"I'm just a visitor," I replied with a smile. "What's your names?" I asked, hoping to lighten up the already tense atmosphere.

"Rogue," the brunette replied.

"Bobby," the blond put in.

"Pleasure meeting you." They both exchanged looks before heading for an open seat.

Ororo was watching our exchange with interest. It took me a few seconds to realize that she had been watching me.

"Rogue's a fairly new student to this school," she explained as we left the cafeteria. "She was brought in along with Logan just a few days ago."

I looked at her warily when she said that. That would explain why Rogue had looked so uneasy. It made me wonder how difficult it would be for new students to adjust to this kind of life. Especially those who were used to living with their family. It couldn't be easy.

"So Logan, what's his deal?" I asked. By now we stopped near the front entrance. Already it was getting late and students were starting to leave for their rooms. I made a point to avoid eye contact with any of them, wary of what they would say.

That made Ororo look at me warily. "I don't know much about him," she replied. "And it's not in my place to snoop around."

The warning in her tone told me not to dwell on the mystery. She was right, it wasn't in my place to find out. Besides, judging by the looks he gave me he was not in any hurry to make friends.

We spent most of the night talking until Ororo showed me where I could stay. Really just a sofa and a pillow would've been fine by me. But she insisted on giving me a room for the night. So once I was settled in, I started writing in my notebook.

Whispers in the Dark from Mumford and Sons was playing from my iPod as I started writing down notes. After the old one had been almost filled up Pepper had gotten me a new one for my birthday. I was amazed she had found a notebook bound in leather. The one I had before was a cheap notebook that could probably be found in a Dollar Store.

"**I'm a cad but I'm not a fraud, I'd set out to serve the Lord...**"

So far I haven't found much about my people. Maybe I wasn't meant to find out about them or what they did. It bothered me that no one seemed to know anything about them. Maybe the Aliquid had some kind of memory wiping power they had used before they were hunted down.

_But that didn't stop the hunters from killing them_, I reminded myself. So many times I'd asked Nadia for answers. But she rarely told me the truth. Sometimes I wondered if she was afraid of telling me anything.

Suddenly a knock sounded on my door. I quickly turned down the music and stuffed my notebook back into my duffel bag. Last thing I needed was for someone to get their hands on it. A fireball formed in the palm of my hand as I opened the door.

"What are you really doing here kid?" My body reacted faster than my mind. In a heartbeat a fireball was thrown directly into Logan's face. It took a few seconds for us both to register what just happened. "Do you have a death wish?" he demanded as he pinned me against the wall.

"I'm sorry!" I gasped for breath when I realized that he was strangling me. "Sometimes I don't have control over my powers!"

"So is that why you're here?" His grip lessened.

I looked around desperately for any distractions I could use. I suppose this was what Ororo meant by not snooping around. Logan was dangerous, that much I gathered.

"I'm here to find out who I really am," I explained as he finally dropped me. He raised an eyebrow when I looked at him warily. "All I know is that my mother sacrificed her life to save me."

'_Ada don't_.' My eyes widened when I heard Nadia's voice. '_Grief will get you nowhere_.'

"What the hell is that?" Logan's eyes widened when he noticed that my necklace was glowing.

'_There are some secrets in this world that you are not meant to know_,' she added when I ignored his question.

"Logan! Ada is a guest here." My shoulders sagged in relief at the familiar tone. Professor Xavier must have known that something like this might happen. "I would like to speak with you both, in my office," he added as Logan shot him a defiant look.

Something told me that talking was the last thing Logan had in mind. Why was he sticking around if he didn't like this place? Surely he had his own life to live.

We walked on to the professor's office in awkward silence. After nearly torching Logan I couldn't blame him for being so suspicious. Last thing I wanted was to pick a fight with someone who could probably make Thor cry for mercy.

"Ada, your life is in grave danger," the professor suddenly announced as soon as we closed the door. I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"You know, considering I work for SHIELD, I think I've gotten used to the whole danger thing," I admitted with a shrug. That made both Logan watch me warily.

"So you are a little spy," Logan said in a warning tone. He was ready to aim a fist when the professor stopped him again. Logan only grunted in annoyance and looked away.

"No Ada, this danger is different," the professor explained. "After putting in some research to your story, I recognized the name of the people that hunted down the Aliquid."

Even that caught Logan's attention. I grimaced at the memories of watching all those people die. It was never an easy thing to go through. A solemn look passed over Charles' face as he wheeled over to me.

"What do you know about these hunters?" I asked, suddenly feeling nervous.

Considering they were the people that had hunted down the Aliquid, I had every right to feel nervous. Suddenly I remembered what Nathan had said all those weeks ago. He knew more about the Aliquid than even SHIELD did.

"They call themselves the Black Knights," he explained. "For centuries they passed on traditions and stories to the next generation, hoping and waiting for signs that the Aliquid would someday return."

I took a deep breath when I realized what that meant. The Black Knights, kind of a crappy name actually, were hunting me down. What I really wanted to know was if there were more people like me around. Glancing back I noticed that Logan was watching me with renewed interest.

"I am afraid, Ada, that you truly are the last of your kind," Charles admitted.

Almost at once it felt like a new weight had fallen on my shoulders. The Black Knights had hunted my people to extinction. Or so they thought. If I ever came across them I would kill them for what they did.

"Thank you," I sighed when I realized that was all I would get. "You're the first one to tell me who did this to my people."

"So let me get this straight, you were only here to find out all of that?" Logan asked. My eyes narrowed when it looked like he was trying to keep on a straight face. He should take lessons from Natasha. She was the master of keeping on a poker face.

"Yes," I replied. "Though I will admit that I've always been fascinated by mutants," I added a little more carefully. "Their abilities are similar to the Aliquid."

That much was true. Though from what I gathered the Aliquid didn't have powers that altered their appearance. Their powers resigned from within, as Nadia had told me. But than again so did the mutants. They just had a gene that made them 'more evolved' than humans.

Logan suddenly stiffened beside me and looked around warily. The professor's eyes narrowed slightly when he realized that something was wrong. In that split second everything started going downhill.

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**AN: Sorry, I just had to end it there :P I know it's a bit early for an update but I wanted to post on Sunday like I promised. So updates should be more frequent now, and a huge thanks to everyone who reviewed! You guys are amazing! Thank you TheDoctor'sAmazingCompanion, McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon, danny1114 and TFIOS for reviewing!**

**danny1114: I kind of may have forgotten to add that part ^^" I do plan on rewriting this when I get the chance, but for now it's just in the process of being posted. And as for the rest, you'll have to keep reading to find out ;) I'm not giving away any spoilers :P**

**TFIOS: I'm sorry, I prefer working alone when it comes to writing. Just makes things easier and there's fewer conflicts with ideas. Sorry :(**


	37. Intruders

**Chapter Thirty Seven**

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_"We were made to be courageous, We were made to lead the way We could be the generation, That finally breaks the chains..." Courageous, Casting Crowns_

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An explosion shook the entire building, causing me to stumble until Logan caught me by the arm. I looked at him awkwardly as I tried to figure out what just happened. The professor was immediately wheeling his into the dorm areas where rooms were shared.

"They found me," I suddenly whispered. The professor looked over his shoulder and nodded in agreement. "Look, I should go. It's me they're after, not you."

"Ada those men will not hesitate to kill anyone standing in your way," the professor warned me. "Even if you did leave they would still destroy this building."

Another explosion followed shortly after. By now students in the building were beginning to panic. I could hear shouts of fear down the hall as a wall collapsed from the force.

"Then I'll let them find me." Before either Logan or the professor could protest I shoved my way past them.

As I made my way down to the gardens I realized these people had already destroyed half of the front entrance. My fists clenched with anger. Why were they going to such trouble just to find one person? None of this made any sense.

Soon enough I spotted the men behind these attacks. To my surprise there were only four of them, dressed in black-armor-like suits. But they were also well armed with weapons I'd never seen before. The weapons reminded me of the ones created by the Tesseract, but they were slightly different style-wise.

"Looks like the rat came out to play," one of the men sneered when they finally noticed me. "You gonna hide behind those freaks the rest of your life?" Flames immediately formed in the palm of my hand. I was not going to let them get away with that.

"Leave them alone, it's me you want," I snapped while avoiding the urge to throw a fireball at them. Believe me when I say how tempting that was.

"You're right kid, it is you we're after," another retorted. "Let's see if you are as weak as the rest of your people."

Anger drove me on as I threw a fireball in their direction. They easily dodged it and fired one of their own weapons at me.

I held back a scream of agony as pain shot through my face. One of the bullets must have grazed my skin, but it was enough to send fire through my veins. These 'Black Knights' were clearly not as old fashioned as I thought they would be.

"What a useless fool." The largest in the group stepped forward, pushing the others aside as he grabbed me by my hair. "To think that you survived all these years... Guess we have Stark to thank for that." He pressed a gun against my neck, and all at once I was shaken back into reality.

The man holding me up let out a cry of pain as I threw my leg into a weak point. They may be wearing armor but that didn't mean they had no weak points. SHIELD training 101 had taught me that. Once again I was thankful for the training courses Fury had offered me.

Right now they were proving useful against the attackers. I started dodging bullets while throwing rocks in their direction, hoping to aim for their faces. One of these days I'd need to take lessons from Hawkeye. Being a master marksmen did have it's advantages.

I kept this up for a short amount of time, but exhaustion was already creeping in. Two of the men were already knocked out, but two more remained. They wouldn't waste their energy trying to fire at me while I kept dodging their bullets. They were just biding their time.

"No one attacks our school without getting their asses whooped." The leader of the four was still standing, and his eyes (I'm surprised I could see them through the mask), widened in shock. I recognized Scott's voice in a heartbeat and moved to the side.

Almost at once he fired a beam of energy towards the last two standing. The leader was able to avoid getting hit, but his follower was not so lucky.

"Tell me the others aren't involved?" I demanded as I started throwing more rocks into the leader's face. The distraction Scott had caused left a wide opening for me.

"We got them to safety," Jean explained as she joined us. "Looks like you didn't need our help," she added when I finally managed to hit the leader directly in the face. He let out a groan before falling to the ground.

'_They deserve to die_,' Nadia's voice suddenly rang in my ears.

My heart nearly skipped a beat when one of the rocks I used earlier formed into a pointed end. Both Scott and Jean were watching from a safe distance on the balcony. Their eyes widened when they realized what was happening.

'_No, I'm not a murderer_!' I shouted mentally. It took me a few seconds to realize what Nadia was doing. She was able to control the movement of the rock through me.

'_For what they did this is the least I can do for our people_,' Nadia snapped. The four intruders were still knocked out, oblivious to the threat that loomed over them.

Something suddenly slammed into me from behind. In that split second my focus snapped. The rock hovering in the air earlier crumbled into pieces, scattering on the ground. The anger I felt from Nadia started to fade away; it was replaced with confusion.

"What the hell was that?" Logan shook me out of my thoughts. Glancing up I saw that he was glaring at me. And to my surprise extending from his hands were metal-like claws.

"Looks to me like you lost control there," Scott commented once the threat was gone.

"Scott, there's something else going on here," Jean quickly intervened. She glanced over at me warily, and I felt my shoulders sag in defeat.

"You were going to kill them," Scott said in an accusing tone.

I quickly shook my head and tried to think of a way to explain the situation. It's not like I had wanted them killed. This was all Nadia's doing, at least I thought it was. She somehow controlled me through her thoughts.

"That wasn't me," I tried to explain. "It was..." I broke myself off when I realized they wouldn't believe me, even if I was telling the truth. "I should leave," I muttered.

"Ada-" I cut Jean off with a glare. The longer I stayed here the more danger they would be in. I wasn't going to put their lives on the line.

"You know what will happen if I stay," I snapped, trying to keep my voice calm. Despite the fear and hate I felt towards the men that had attacked earlier, I couldn't kill them. Killing wasn't in my nature. At least I hoped it wasn't. "I'm sorry for getting you into this mess," I added.

"I think at this point we're used to surprises," Scott replied. "You sure you wanna leave kid? Those thugs are likely to go after you." He nodded pointedly to the men still knocked out. They must have taken heavy blows if they were still knocked out.

"That's exactly why I'm leaving," I explained. "If I lead them far enough away I can give SHIELD a call for backup. Something tells me they've dealt with these guys before," I added as I kicked aside a pebble.

"So this SHIELD, they protect you?" Logan finally spoke up. I glanced over at him and shook my head.

"Not exactly," I admitted. "See, the thing is you can't always trust even SHIELD. But I have friends who would back me up, good friends I've fought with in battle."

That much was true. But I didn't want to put their lives at risk either. Maybe I was better off on my own. At least I could easily defend myself if worse came to worse. But than I remembered what had happened during this fight.

I would have probably been killed had it not been for Scott startling them.

"All of the students were taken to safety." We all looked up to see the professor staring at us; his eyes widened when he saw the damage caused by the intruders. "You're leaving already," he added when he finally looked down at me.

"These attacks aren't going to stop until I leave," I replied with a nod. "Thank you for letting me stay, professor. But it's probably best if I go."

Jean and Scott walked down to join me as the professor wheeled his way down the slope. For the most part that area had remained intact, much to my surprise. It was just the garden and gazebo that would need repair.

"You're not bad kid, I'll give you that," Logan grunted after he tensed up beside me. I'm amazed he's stuck around for as long as he has.

"Take care of yourself," Jean murmured as we shook hands.

I barely knew these people and yet they were already treating me like a long-lost friend. It was strange, yet sad at the same time. But I knew we would probably see each other again. Which again is why I hated goodbyes.

"Let me know if you find out more about your heritage," the professor suddenly told me. "I would love to learn more about the Aliquid... perhaps they have some connection with mutants."

Something told me that they had no connections, but it was possible.

"Will do," I promised. "SHIELD will collect these thugs once I reach them." To make a point I made sure to wrap stone around their wrists, just in case. The stone wasn't wrapped so tightly that it would hurt them, but it was enough to keep them from escaping.

"Nice work," Jean said with the slightest smiles.

I grinned back before going back to grab my bag. I had left it in the room before this all started. Last thing I wanted was to leave it behind for someone to read. They might not like what they read. Once that was taken care of I made sure to give a certain Capsicle a call.

Hopefully Steve was still in the mood to be helpful. Otherwise I'd have to make the journey back on my own. Though at this point that didn't seem like a bad idea. Maybe being alone was just what I needed. Before I could call him though my phone began to ring.

It took me a few seconds to realize that I had already missed several calls, and my message box was already full. With a roll of my eyes I had to guess that half of them came from dad, and the other half from Director Fury. I took the chance and picked it up as I walked down towards the ruined garden.

"Do you have any idea how much trouble you are in?" I almost regretted picking up when I heard Fury's voice booming over the speaker. Anyone with super hearing would've lost it at this point.

"Nice to hear from you too boss," I replied. I didn't miss the fact that people were probably listening in on us. At this point I didn't care. "What's the problem this time?"

"The problem is you," Fury snapped. I could almost imagine the vein on his forehead showing. Dad and I came up with so many jokes about what would happen if Fury lived up to his name. "You can't just run away like that, especially after a battle like that one," he added as he struggled to calm himself down.

"Yeah well, it was kind of a last minute decision," I explained. "Hey listen, would you mind running a last minute pickup?" I asked when I paused by the four intruders struggling to free themselves. The sun was only just beginning to rise, and they finally woke up. "I picked up a couple of friends I'd like you to meet."

That seemed to stop Fury from yelling once again. I'm surprised he hasn't lost his voice yet. Considering all the times he's yelled at either me or Clint for doing stupid things. Of course there were other agents who got themselves into trouble, but not nearly as many times as we did.

"Already sent someone your way," Fury replied after taking in what I said. "Than we'll talk."

I held back a groan when I realized where he was going with this. Looked like I was in for another lecture. At least this time I could easily block it out if I had to. Either way this was one scolding I couldn't avoid, and I couldn't blame Fury for being so pissed off. All I could do was hope that he would forgive me.

* * *

**AN: Yep, another double update! Couldn't resist, and this chapter was certainly fun ;) Another big thank you to all my reviewers, you guys are amazing! Thanks to McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon, Maryyea, UltimateGingeDW (it's difficult coming up with your own ideas, maybe you should start by writing down whatever comes to mind on a notebook? That's how this story started out) and Spinosa for reviewing!**


	38. Part Four: A New Mission

**Chapter Thirty Eight**

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_"I won't run, I will stay I'm not leaving you, I know there's friction here The struggle makes us new..." No Man is an Island, Tenth Avenue North_

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I was back on the Hellicarrier, listening to Fury rant on about how many stupid mistakes I had made in a single day. I leaned against the chair and tried to let the time pass until he was finished. By now I've grown used to moments like these. I've been around long enough to know what I was getting myself into. But what Fury said next really caught me off guard.

"Despite this latest screw-up you've made," he began; once again I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and pout, "You did manage to catch those intruders who attacked the school. If we can get information from them, we can put an end to their operation."

"So, I'm not getting punished?" I asked hopefully. Fury looked like he was actually going to laugh. Huh, never thought I'd see that side of him.

"Actually there's something else I had in mind," he replied.

I looked at him warily when he tossed a manilla folder onto the desk towards me. Carefully I took it and opened the file, curious to see what was going on. A new mission sounded oh so wonderful.

My eyes widened when I read what was on the file. To my surprise the names Richard Parker and Doctor Curtis Connors were written on the file. Pictures of the two men were shown. One had dark brown curly hair, another with light blond hair and a missing arm.

Okay, this was getting interesting. So now I'm supposed to do some research on these people? Then I noticed what was written behind Richard's picture. The word 'deceased' was written across the back of the photo.

"So... exactly what do you expect me to do with these?" I asked warily.

"I want you to go undercover," Fury explained. "You're about the age of a high school student, right?" His question caught me by surprise, but I only nodded. School would be starting for normal students. Since I graduated early I never had to visit a public high school, unless you count Xavier's School for the Gifted. "Good, I want you to take a tour at Oscorp. They're a leading tech industries, and a major competitor to Stark Industries. You might find something interesting there; Doctor Curtis Connors has been running research for the past few years in that company."

So this was an undercover mission, that made things more interesting. I always enjoyed going under the radar. At least if it involved trying to figure something out. And it seemed like whatever research Connors was doing had caught SHIELD's attention.

"When do I start?" This was something I wanted to do. Whatever happened to Richard Parker had something to do with Connors' research. What really caught my attention was the small file that was underneath his photo.

Richard had a young son, around my age known as Peter Parker. Peter was currently living with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben Parker, and going to high school at Midtown Science High. Why was SHIELD so interested in this family?

Well, right now the thought wasn't really my main concern.

"Tomorrow," Fury explained. "For now you should get some rest. From what I managed to pick up, you've been through quiet a lot these past few hours." I eyed Fury warily, wondering if professor Xavier had spoken to him mentally.

I tried to shake the thoughts off as I grabbed my stuff. The intruders who attacked the school from earlier were locked away in a prison somewhere on board. I made a point to avoid them at all costs. There was no way in hell I was ready to face them now.

. . .

"Dad, do you know anything about Richard Parker, or Curtis Connors?" I found myself back in what was left of the tower. So far dad had managed to get the penthouse fixed and our rooms cleaned up. But most of the damage was restrained to the living room and balcony where Loki got tossed around like a rag-doll.

Dad was busy reading the news on a Stark Pad when I asked the question, Pepper not far away sipping some coffee. He raised an eyebrow in surprise when I asked the question.

"I know quite a lot actually," he replied. "What's this all about? Some secret SHIELD business?"

I lowered my gaze, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. Dad already knew that I was part of SHIELD. But it was still strange knowing that he knew. And Pepper had learned shortly after the Chitauri attacked. It took some getting used to considering how long I had kept it a secret.

"You could say that," I murmured halfheartedly. "It's classified."

"So Fury wants you risking your life once again without my permission," dad sighed, sounding more annoyed than usual.

Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to tell him where I was at. I bit the bottom of my lip at the thought. Dad would likely throw a panic attack if I told him. And I couldn't imagine what Pepper's reaction would be like.

"I'm not risking my life," I began, hoping to ease his worrying, "it's purely research."

"Research for what?" Pepper asked.

"Don't know," I admitted with a shrug. "Guess Connors has something SHIELD's interested in."

And it was my job to find out what that something was. If I was successful in this mission it meant that Fury would finally trust me. At least to some extent. I could only hope that Fury would forget the mess I'd made at the school.

To me this was a typical day when I wasn't training at SHIELD. It was nice to finally get one day off where my life wasn't in constant danger. Sooner or later though I would have to tell dad what had happened. I knew it was only a matter of time before those guys called the Black Knights attacked again.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the name. Black Knights sounded like one of the most unoriginal names in the history of names. Than again Firefly wasn't much better, and that apparently was now my codename. I suppose the name could be worse.

"Ada, is something bothering you?" Pepper suddenly asked. "You've been awfully quiet lately." She said the last part a bit more carefully, glancing over at dad.

"No, nothing is bothering me," I lied. "I've just been a bit more stressed than usual."

Dad finally turned off the Stark Pad and looked at me accusingly. I knew things were bad when he turned off the tech. Dad hated life without tech, that much I knew.

"Okay kid, I know when you're lying," he snapped. "Clearly something's bothering you, so spit it out."

Taking a deep breath, I had to think of something quick. I glanced over at the bar where dad kept most of his imported drinks.

"Would you be pissed if I told you where I really was yesterday?" I asked nervously, biting the bottom of my lip once more. Dad raised an eyebrow in concern.

"Depends on what you did," he replied.

"I was at Xavier's School for the Gifted," I admitted.

Even Pepper looked surprised when I mentioned that. Most people didn't realize what the school really was. From what I gathered many believed that it was just a boarding school for intelligent students.

"What were you doing there?" Pepper asked. She was genuinely curious. Guess I couldn't blame her for that.

"Well... see, I was trying to find out more about my past," I explained, hoping that I didn't hurt them in any way.

Dad took me in when no one else would. Pepper was like a mother to me. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt them by saying I wanted to find out about my past. Or who my real mother really was.

"Did you find anything?" Dad asked the question this time.

He was watching me carefully, as if expecting me to suddenly attack him. I tried dismissing the thoughts as quickly as they formed. Dad had every right to be nervous. With everything that was going on, I couldn't really blame him.

"No." I paused as I thought of the attack from last night.

Suddenly I remembered the anger Nadia had felt towards those men. The way she could control me through her emotions, it was almost too much. It made me realize that I _did_ need to learn how to control them, and how to keep those emotions at bay.

"Well, maybe that's for the best," dad replied. I looked at him warily when he said that. "Look, I may not know much about the... Aliquid, but something tells me they kept themselves a secret for a reason," he added.

I couldn't help but nod in understanding. If dad knew the danger I was in he'd probably emphasize what he just said. For now though I would keep it a secret until he was ready. He and Pepper were going through enough stress as it was with the tower renovations.

"I guess I'm hitting the showers than," I murmured when an awkward silence followed.

Dad and Pepper started talking again, and it didn't take a genius to know they were talking about me. I knew they were worried for my safety. My life was constantly in danger thanks to SHIELD. But that wasn't the reason I put my own safety at risk.

After taking a shower I thought back to how I would work out controlling my powers. So far I did have some kind of control over them, but if Nadia took over again... things could get messy. There had to be some way to keep her from taking control. I didn't want to kill someone unless it was absolutely necessary.

'_And you call yourself a SHIELD agent_,' came Nadia's sarcastic comment.

'_I don't have to kill just because I'm part of SHIELD_,' I retorted as I pulled my now dried hair into a ponytail.

'_Are you really that naive?_' she asked, and I held back a sigh of frustration. '_This SHIELD is made up of spies and master assassins_. _They are training you to become like them._'

Part of me refused to believe her. But another part of me knew that she was right. Much as I hated admitting it, SHIELD was training me to become just like them. And yet it was something I knew I would get myself into.

'_If I'm to survive, I need this training_,' I snapped. '_You don't think those Black Knight people will hesitate to kill me?_'

'_Which is exactly why you should have allowed me to kill them_.' I could almost feel the waves of anger rushing off of her.

Suddenly I remembered what I had thought all those months ago, when I saw what they did to the Aliquid in my dreams. I remembered the anger I felt when I watched so many people die. All at once I understood where Nadia was getting at with this.

'_No, there has to be another way_.' I immediately tried shaking the thoughts away.

'_There is no other way_.' My eyes narrowed when Nadia said that. I knew that she was right. But I refused to believe that. I wanted to believe that there was another way.

Once my head hit the pillow in my room exhaustion crept in. Tomorrow would be the start of a new journey. I was supposed to find out what this Connors person was up to. And possibly meet Peter Parker when I got the chance.

This was about to get interesting.

* * *

**AN: So here's the next chapter, not as exciting but it definitely builds up character development. And it leads to the next part, which will have more excitement. Thanks to Guest for reviewing! Really appreciate it :)**


	39. Oscorp

**Chapter Thirty Nine**

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_"I know your strong, And it's so hard to see You're staring right at me, When your struggling through the happiest of days..." Happiest of Days, Goo Goo Dolls_

* * *

I never thought I'd find myself at the Oscorp building. The building was massive, but not nearly as tall as Stark Tower. People walking by gave me strange looks as they recognized me. By now I've already dealt with several people asking questions about what it was like fighting alongside the Avengers. So far I've given them simple answers. It was pretty much like any other fight I've been involved with.

Taking a deep breath I walked inside one of the revolving doors. A crowd of students were already gathered inside waiting to collect their guest badges. Fury had assigned me to the group in order to gain more information on Connors' research.

The receptionist at the desk was busy typing away when I reached it. Much to my surprise a familiar face was already peering over the desk, trying to take a look at the badges she had lined up for the students.

"Right," the receptionist said in a tone that told me she didn't believe what he was saying. "You'll find yourself to the left." There was a short pause as he shot her a wary look. "You are here for the internship... right?" she added.

"Ye-Yeah," he quickly replied, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. He picked up one of the badges she had out.

"Okay than, you'll find your badge to the left," the receptionist replied.

He eyed the badges she had displayed curiously. I watched from a safe distance, careful not to disturb them. I wanted to see what he would do. Something told me that he wasn't supposed to be here. "Oh!" he suddenly gasped as he picked up one of the badges.

"Are you having trouble finding yourself?" The woman raised an eyebrow as she eyed him. I'm surprised she didn't call for security at this point.

"No, I got it," he replied. Suddenly they both seemed to notice me as I walked over. The woman's smile faded when she recognized me in an instant.

"Hi, I'm here for the internship," I explained as I showed her my badge. Fury had finally decided to give it an upgrade. It was nice to actually be part of the agency, especially considering how long I've been training there.

"Right, Miss Stark..." She paused when she realized what she was saying. "Agent Stark," she quickly corrected herself. I held back a triumphant smile as she handed me a guest badge. Seemed I was gaining a reputation in the public. Hopefully it wasn't a bad reputation.

I wasn't really interested in cross-species genetics. The idea had always rubbed off on me as a bad one. Considering what the risks were to it, that's part of the reason I've avoided it for so long. But Connors was performing research on it. And of course since I was about the right age Fury had asked me to take this assignment.

Once I clipped on the guest badge I quickly made my way towards the escalator. The group was already being led away into one of the many labs here. People were already beginning to talk when they noticed my arrival.

It didn't take long for 'Mr. Guevara' to join me. And from the looks of it he was trying to blend in with the large crowd.

"So, you're a SHIELD agent?" he asked warily.

"You could say that," I replied with a shrug. I noticed not for the first time that he was looking over his shoulder, as if expecting someone to jump in and shoo him away from the building. "What are you here for?" I asked.

"Actually I'm interested in Doctor Connor's research," he admitted. "Technically, I'm not supposed to be here." His voice dropped to a whisper as if to prove his point.

"It's fine, I won't tell." His eyes lit up when I reassured him. "Ada Stark," I introduced myself with a handshake.

"Peter Parker," he replied with a sheepish grin. "I kind of already know who you are," he added. "They talk about you a lot on the news, you know with being Iron Man's daughter and all." Now it was my turn to feel embarrassed. I've been spending so much time away from the public that I hardly noticed.

"It's not exactly something I would brag about," I murmured. "Normally I would lay low, but this is something the boss wanted me to do." I added the last part in a whisper, knowing that SHIELD was probably watching through security monitors.

"Welcome to Oscorp, My name is Gwen Stacy," the tour guide began. I looked at her in surprise to see that she was a young high school student with long blond hair. Someone her age was going to be the tour guide? Well that was certainly new. "I'm a senior at Midtown Science and I'm also head intern to Dr. Connors, so I'll be with you for the duration of your visit. Where I go, you go. That's the basic rule. If you remember that, all will be fine. If you forget that, then..."

She paused as a ruckus sounded from the first floor. I looked over the balcony to see that the real Rodrigo Guevara was being dragged out of the building. Peter quickly ducked behind me when he realized what was happening.

"Hide me!" Peter begged as Rodrigo tried claiming he was the real deal.

"Well, I guess I don't need to tell you what happens if you forget that. Shall we?"

We began walking through the different parts of the building. All the while Gwen was explaining what the rooms were used for. I kept myself busy as a few scientists eyed me curiously. There were no doubts they had already known who I was, and what I could do. It was best to lay low at the moment.

Gwen started talking about the history of Oscorp and all the research that has been done in the past. Oscorp was famous for a lot of things, but nothing I've ever really been interested in. I'm more of a tech-kind of a person any day.

It was at that point we reached the lab Fury had mentioned back on the Hellicarrier. Holographic image displays and computer monitors were laid out across the room. What caught my attention was the man approaching us, dressed in a lab coat and all. To me he looked more like a mad scientist than anything else.

"Good afternoon Gwen," he greeted her warmly. A few people were trying not to stare at his missing limb. All the while he noticed me standing in the back of the crowd. Peter was still standing beside me, looking more nervous than ever.

"Doctor Connors," Gwen replied with a smile. She seemed much happier to see him than he did to see us.

"Welcome," he began, this time looking at everyone, "my name is Dr. Curtis Connors. And yes, in case you're wondering, I'm a southpaw." The interns laughed uneasily at the remark. Well at least he knew how to tone down the awkward stares. I'm not a cripple, I'm a former scientist and I'm the world's foremost authority on herpetology. That's reptiles, for those of you who don't know."

The look he was giving me sent chills through me. It was obvious I wasn't welcomed here. But he didn't really have much of a choice, seeing as SHIELD had a higher authority over his security. Luckily he didn't point me out, but the other interns around me gave me strange looks. Peter only ducked behind me best as he could.

"But like the Parkinson's patient who watches on in horror as her body slowly betrays her," he continued, "or the man with macular degeneration who's eyes grow dimer each day, I long to fix myself. I want to create a world without weakness. Anyone care to venture a guess just how?"

That would explain why he was so interested in reptiles. I've learned that lizards can regenerate their tails. Often times they dropped their tails in an attempt to distract a predator, giving them enough time to escape.

One of the interns put up their hand as if they were in a classroom. "Yes?" Connors asked.

"Stem cells?" the student suggested, forming it in a question rather than a statement.

"Promising, but the solution I'm thinking of is more radical," he replied. "No one?" A look of disappointment quickly flashed across his eyes.

"Cross-species genetics." Peter's voice was barely a whisper, but Connors heard it loud and clear. Now everyone was looking at him as he tried hiding himself once more.

Gwen stared down at her list and narrowed her eyes after looking back at Peter. Yep, someone just got himself into trouble.

"A person gets Parkinson's when the brain cells that produce dopamine start to disappear. But the zebrafish has the ability to regenerate cells on command. If you can somehow give this ability to the woman you're talking about, that's that. She's...she's curing herself," he explained.

Well when you put it that way, it sounds so simple. I was glad Connors knew nothing about the Aliquid. He could have easily discovered that someone had healing powers and turn that against them.

"Yeah, you just have to look past the gills on her neck," one of the interns replied. The other interns around him laughed, but I narrowed my eyes and glared.

"And you are?" Connors finally looked at Peter with a proud smile.

"He's one of Midtown Science's best and brightest," Gwen replied.

"Really?" Now Connors was really interested.

"Hmm. He's second in his class."

"Oh."

"Second?"

"Yeah."

"You sure about that?"

"I'm pretty sure."

Connors' phone began to ring, and he took the chance to slip away while Gwen and Peter began talking. The interns started looking around at the research Connors had introduced them to. While they were distracted Gwen took the chance to finally speak up.

"So you're the famous Ada Stark," she said once Peter was standing next to me again.

"Please don't say that," I muttered crossly. "I'm here strictly for business purposes." Gwen raised an eyebrow, but she didn't ask more questions, much to my relief. Instead she focused more on Peter.

"Hi. How you doin', Rodrigo?" she asked.

Peter looked at her in confusion until she pointed out his badge. Now it was his turn to start sputtering out excuses.

"Oh, yeah," he murmured.

"What are you doing here?" she said in a lower voice.

"I work here. I don't work here. I was gonna say...I was gonna say I work here, but I seems like in fact you work here. So you know that I don't in fact work here."

By now I was smothering my laughter as Peter came up with a list of excuses. Gwen watched him in amusement until he finally stopped and looked at her seriously.

I decided to take the chance and slip away unnoticed. So far I haven't found anything life-threatening here like Fury had asked me to find. Maybe that was a good thing. Then again if Connors was up to anything illegal he would obviously be hiding it from the public.

This place had to have secret rooms I could access. I started avoiding the scientists that were returning to their desks or finishing projects for the day. Hopefully by blending in I wouldn't catch their attention.

"Hey!" Gwen's shout stopped me in my tracks. "No one goes into those rooms unless they're an employee." She wasn't angry like I expected, only confused. "Tell me you aren't spying for your father?" she added in a quieter tone. I looked at her in shock before shaking my head.

"Of course not," I replied. "I just... got lost."

Wow, of all the lame excuses I could've used, that was probably the worst. And Gwen was quick to catch on.

"You know I saw you on the news, that day during the race in Monaco," she suddenly said. I held back a groan of annoyance when I realized where she was going with this. "Can you really control fire like they said?"

"It's not something that should be talked about here," I explained, suddenly aware that this was the last place to have this discussion. "Besides, that's just a myth. News companies are always trying to exaggerate their stories."

I shrugged, hoping that Gwen would buy into that. Of course it was all a lie. News companies everywhere were trying to find out whether or not the story behind Monaco was real. After I had fought alongside the Avengers they could only confirm that the story was indeed true.

"Where's Peter?" Gwen suddenly asked, changing the subject.

I hadn't even noticed him slipping away from the group. It soon became apparent where Peter had been though as he walked out of a door, looking down at the floor shamefully. Gwen folded her arms and approached him, looking at him in disappointment.

"I-" She cut him off before he could apologize.

"Badge," she ordered, holding out her hand.

Reluctantly Peter handed her his badge. "Sorry," he muttered.

I quickly took the chance to leave as well. I was afraid that if I stayed any longer than Connors might get suspicious. Besides, it's not like I found anything useful. Right now it was best to call it a day and get some rest.

"Are you okay?" Peter asked as he followed me down the escalators. "You look kind of pale."

"Just a bit tired," I replied. "Gotta take the subway back." Stark Tower was several blocks away from here. Right now I didn't feel like walking all the way back, or asking for a taxi.

"Ouch!" Peter suddenly flinched. I looked at him warily and wondered what just happened. Then I noticed a spider was on his neck, but seconds later it suddenly disappeared. "Hope that doesn't leave a mark," he said in a joking tone.

I was just hoping that he didn't mysteriously turn into a spider. With the whole cross-species genetics thing it wouldn't surprise me. Though truth be told I have seen weirder things. And something told me that life was about to get even stranger, just like Coulson had promised.

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**AN: Another fast update; thanks Spinosa for reviewing! Really appreciate them :)**


	40. Fight On The Subway

**Chapter Forty**

* * *

_"Suddenly I see This is what I wanna be, Suddenly I see, Why the hell it means so much to me..." Suddenly I See, KT Tunstall_

* * *

The subway was one method of transportation I hated more than anything. It was dingy looking on the inside and always gave me the creeps. The people that used it weren't much better, but most of the time they were just travelers going to and from work. Subways were cold and dark looking underground.

But at least I was not alone this time. Peter slept on a seat not far away from me. Of course I would have to transfer at one point, but at least for this part we could ride together.

For the most part everyone kept pretty quiet, for the exception of a few thugs and their girlfriends. I rolled my eyes as they started laughing at some joke they said. While those people were busy talking and drinking beer, I decided to scroll through my messages on my phone. I didn't notice that one of the thugs had started balancing a bottle of beer on Peter's head until I glanced over. Unfortunately Peter chose that moment to wake up.

He suddenly jumped onto the ceiling and just hung there. I raised an eyebrow and watched him in amusement. That was when things went from bad to worse. The bottle of beer was knocked over when he jumped, spilling on the outfit of one of the girls.

"How's it hanging?" I asked with the slightest of smirks. Peter looked at me in surprise, but he didn't say a thing.

"Disgusting! Now I smell like beer!" The thug's girlfriend shrieked as she realized what happened. Peter jumped down after a few seconds had passed.

Judging from the way they had been acting earlier, this was exactly what they deserved. But I only kept my mouth shut.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to do that," Peter began apologizing, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I... I uh... I..."

He paused when he it looked like he couldn't take his hand off. Once again he is apologizing, and I'm beginning to see a broken record here. He acted the same way in the Oscorp building back when Gwen had kicked him out.

"Get your hand off her!" One of thugs yelled and took a closer step towards Peter. Slowly but surely I was sensing the beginning of a fight here. My muscles tensed as I thought of what to do. Getting into a fight in the middle of a crowd was never a wise idea. But I would fight back if I needed to.

"I'm trying...to get my hand..." Peter was stammering, trying to pry his hand off. But the thug's impatience got the better of him. He quickly shoved Peter aside, resulting in his girlfriend's shirt getting ripped off. I smothered a laugh when she stood there with a lacy red and black bra.

The thug was now trying to attack Peter, but he dodged so fast that the thug was sent flying into one of the seats next to me. I took the chance to attack as the second thug started running towards us. By gripping the poll I was able to swing with my left hand and give the thug a good kick right in the chest. The third thug was already taken down by Peter just as I landed on my feet; all of them were groaning in pain shortly after.

By now Peter was looking at his hands in disbelief, as if he couldn't believe what he just did. One of the thugs suddenly recovered and looked at Peter before glancing at his skate board, than looked back at Peter again. Peter's eyes widened in horror when he realized what the thug was about to do.

"Oh man, not my board please," he begged as the thug reached out for it. With a sigh of frustration I leaped forward and threw my fist into the thug's chin. He dropped the board in an instant, while I grabbed it and tossed the board over to Peter. Once that was finished I kicked hard him in the thigh as he debated whether or not to attack me.

It wasn't long after that the other thugs got up and went after him. Peter jumped, resulting in the poll getting broken and holding on to it while trying to free his grip. I was about to rush in and help when the poll suddenly broke free. One end managed to snare the thug right in the jaw.

"I'm so sorry!" Peter was apologizing again, moving around to apologize to the other thug, only to hit them in the face again with the poll, all the while trying to apologize. I had to admit, this was hilarious. I was struggling not to laugh as the men were knocked out at last.

"Do you always apologize this much?" I asked after making sure he wasn't hurt.

"I uh... well, you fought those guys pretty well," he stammered. "Thanks for the help."

"Thanks," I replied with a sheepish smile. Finally the subway had reached my destination. "You fought pretty well too," I added in an accusing tone. "When did you learn how to fight like that?"

"Uh, it sort of just happened." he admitted. "Look, don't tell anyone, please?" he looked at me with puppy-dog eggs.

I simply nodded in response, knowing that this would be something between us. For now. I needed to find more information on what happened before I went and told Fury.

"Hey Peter, maybe we could meet up again some time," I suddenly said.

"Yeah, that would be nice," he replied, rubbing the back of his hair in embarrassment. "Though I'm not sure whether or not I should trust a SHIELD agent," he added.

"I've got more secrets than even SHIELD knows about," I reassured him. And hopefully they would stay secrets, until I had a better understanding of everything going on around me. "So what do you say?"

Peter eyed me suspiciously before grinning. "Sure," he replied. I handed him a card that was similar to the one Coulson had given me two years ago.

I still found it hard to believe that it was almost two years since I joined SHIELD. To top things off I was now seventeen. It was strange to think how fast time was moving. A few years ago I didn't even know about SHIELD, and Iron Man didn't even exist.

"I'll see you later than!" I waved goodbye as the subway pulled off once again. Maybe this mission wouldn't be so bad.

. . .

"Doctor Connors, sir?" Rajit Ratha was eying the doctor warily after the interns left. Connors stayed in the background, keeping a close eye on the girl that was part of the group. Of all the interns there she had stood out for many reasons. And those reasons made the doctor suspicious.

"We received the results from the MRNA sequences, they were disappointing," he muttered, rubbing his face in frustration. Rajit looked at him warily as he went on, ignoring the fact that both of their heads were on the line this time, "I want to know why that agent was snooping around. If she's working for SHIELD than she could jeopardize our work."

"But sir-" Connors cut him off with a piercing glare.

"No buts," he snapped. "Take care of the issue at hand, than we will continue this work. It is important that SHIELD does not get involved, for everyone's sake."

Rajit simply nodded in agreement before calling in for a favor. He knew the doctor would not be satisfied until the job was finished. This was what he had to do, in order to keep safe. Hopefully he wouldn't suffer the consequences in the end.

. . .

I was back at the tower, only to find that everyone was gone, much to my annoyance. With a sigh I grabbed the note Pepper had been kind enough to leave. At least she knew I'd be looking for them if they were gone.

'Ada, your dad and I went out for dinner, feel free to order out if you're hungry - Pepper.'

Huh, well I guess that was to be expected. Dad hadn't spent much time with Pepper since the Chitauri attacked the city. She had been busy going on a few business trip the last few weeks until she got back yesterday. I couldn't blame them for wanting to have some alone time.

That of course gave me the chance to review everything that happened recently. Considering I'd met Peter Parker and he managed to kick those thugs in the ass in just a few minutes, I had a good reason to review those events. I decided to give Fury a call about what had happened. Maybe he could shed a little light on the past events.

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**AN: Apologies for the shorter chapter... I was going to make it longer but I like where it ended here :) Next one will be longer, I promise! And I've also started a new story, but it's a bit darker, okay a lot darker than this one. So if you're interested please give it a look and tell me what you think! Thanks to UltimateGingeDW, dany1114, Maryyea, and BookLovingPersonR.B.L for reviewing!**

**dany1114 - Technically Ada hasn't gotten complete control over her powers yet, and she wasn't the one controlling them either. Nadia has her reasons for wanting to kill the Black Knights; this will become clearer in later chapters :)**

**Maryyea - I couldn't resist adding him, Spiderman is my third fav. character, next to Black Widow and Hawkeye :)**

**BookLovingPersonR.B.L - XD You'll just have to keep reading to find out, and thank you for reviewing! They're always appreciated!**


	41. A New Friend

**Chapter Forty One**

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_"It's who we are, Doesn't matter if we've gone too far Doesn't matter if it's all okay, Doesn't matter if it's night or day..." Who We Are, Imagine Dragons_

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Fury began as he started pacing once again. "This Parker student you met has suddenly gained super reflexes and was able to take on three thugs at once, without any training?"

That about summed it up. I was just as confused as Fury about what just happened, which was why I had decided to pay him a visit in one of SHIELD's secret headquarters. Since dad and Pepper were out on a business trip it gave me more freedom to do what I wanted.

Since the Chitauri attack dad has been busier than usual. Hopefully he won't let the stress get to him. Sometimes he needed to learn how to take a break, especially during times like this.

Now I was busy working with a certain Peter Parker, trying to unravel the mystery behind his sudden fighting abilities. I'm guessing that Peter didn't always have these skills, but that was just me. Considering I've never met the guy until now, it was likely he could have been hiding those skills until now.

"He doesn't seem like the kind of guy who would willingly pick a fight with anyone," I murmured thoughtfully.

"You're right about that." Director Fury stopped his pacing and looked at me. "I want you to befriend this Parker boy, and find out anything you can about him," he suddenly ordered.

I stiffened when he said that, and Fury didn't miss it. Peter already mentioned something about not trusting a SHIELD agent. If he thought I was spying on him he would feel betrayed. Than again it wasn't like I had anything to lose.

"I've already obtained his contact info," I explained as I stood up. "Shouldn't be too hard to convince him."

For once Fury actually looked satisfied with that. Without another word I walked out of the room, wondering what sort of poor excuse for a lie I'd come up with this time when I got home. Dad already knew that I was working for SHIELD, but that didn't make him any less worried.

"Got yourself another mission?" I slowed down my pace when I recognized Jimmy's voice.

Truthfully I hadn't spoken to him in ages. At least not since the Avengers suddenly appeared. I couldn't really blame him for being pissed with me.

"Hey Jimmy, how's it going?" I asked, putting on a smile as I turned around to face him. His frown turned to that of a look of embarrassment.

"Not bad," he replied after leaning against the wall. "Just got asked to work with Fitz and Simmons on their latest invention, so that's kind of like a promotion." He added the last part with a shrug. I couldn't help but grin at the mention of Fitz and Simmons.

Their names were well known throughout SHIELD. I should say they were more infamous than anything else.

"That's great news Jimmy," I congratulated him. "Look, I'm sorry I haven't-" He cut me off with a small wave of his hand.

"It's good," he replied with another shrug. "I'm sure you're busy with the Avengers and other missions." I didn't miss the bitterness in his tone.

"Hey, if you're busy why don't you stop by the tower some time tonight?" I suggested. The last thing I wanted was for us to fight. Jimmy had always been there for me when I needed a friend. I really was a horrible friend to him.

Jimmy raised an eyebrow before shaking his head. The hope I felt earlier was crushed in an instant until he spoke again.

"I've got work to do tonight," he explained. "We're just finishing our latest project, can't stop now."

I rubbed my arm as an awkward silence followed. Well, at least he wasn't too pissed with me. But that didn't make things any better.

"Okay," I sighed as he went back to one of the many labs. I was slightly put off by his sudden change in attitude. In truth it was understandable that he was so angry with me.

With a sigh of frustration I decided to leave it at that and give Peter a call tomorrow. It was already pretty late and I'm sure he had better things to do.

. . .

"_Hey, sorry, I'm late. I uh..."_

_"We were so worried!"_

_"I know, I'm sorry. Watch...!"_

_"That's a fly, Peter."_

_"Yeah. I'm so sorry I kept you guys up. I'm insensitive, I'm irresponsible. And I'm hungry!"_

_"Is he okay?"_

_"I don't think so."_

_"This is...this is your meatloaf. This beats all other meatloafs!"_

_"Something is very wrong."_

_"Yeah. Nobody likes your meatloaf."_

_"I got it."_

_"He took the frozen macaroni and cheese!"_

_"I noticed that."_

_"Why didn't you tell me you didn't like my meatloaf?"_

_"Um..."_

_"You could have said that to me thirty seven years ago! How many meatloafs have I made for you?!_"

. . .

There was a time for making phone calls and a time for avoiding someone when they were angry with you. And right now I was avoiding a certain someone from SHIELD as I made my way to my favorite cafe. I'd already given Peter a call that morning to see if he'd hang out with me. Much to my surprise he actually agreed.

So here I was, dressed in a white blouse and khaki colored shorts, sitting in one of the booths at the cafe. It wasn't like we were going on a date. At least I hoped that was the case. Dad would be on my ass for weeks if I went on another date, especially after what happened with Emmet.

My fists suddenly clenched at the thought of that bastard. I still couldn't believe that I trusted him. I should have known there was something not quite right with him.

"Is this table taken?" I looked up in surprise to see Peter standing next to the table, grinning like an idiot.

"Yep, all the seats are filled up," I said sarcastically.

Peter only rolled his eyes and sat down across from me. And that was when the awkward silence followed. The waitress had already taken our orders; Peter ordering a frozen coffee while I asked for herbal tea.

"Do you always order tea?" he asked when the waitress left.

"Most of the time," I replied with a nod. "It keeps me calm."

Of course I would never admit that I hated the flavor of coffee. I wasn't sure why but there was something about it that I couldn't stand. Maybe it was the fact that coffee either made you have to go to the bathroom constantly or made you too hyper when it was caffeinated.

Soon after that awkward silence the waitress returned with our drinks. After putting in a small teaspoon of sugar and letting it cool, I let out a sigh of satisfaction. Times like this made me thankful I wasn't usually alone.

"Hey, do you remember what happened... during that fight on the subway?" he asked warily.

"I remember a lot of things," I replied while taking a sip of my tea.

"Well, I was wondering if you..." Peter cut himself off as he thought of what to say next. I waited as patiently as I could, knowing that he would eventually get to the spider bite from Oscorp. "I know this is going to sound stupid, especially coming from me," he said, continuing his stammering. "But back at Oscorp, that spider that bit me... I think it did something to me."

His voice had dropped to a whisper. I noticed for the first time how uncomfortable he looked talking about it. I'm guessing it was because he knew that I worked for SHIELD. Every little detail could be giving away information to the boss.

Then again I could always accidentally 'forget' our conversation. I hid back a smirk at the thought. Fury would be pissed if I didn't tell him.

"You're afraid of a little spider bite?" I asked with the slightest of smiles. Though truth be told spiders could easily damage a human depending on how potent their venom was.

The bite of a black widow could result in losing a limb or dead tissue. Which was why Natasha had taken on the name Black Widow. Of course there were more obvious reasons behind her codename, but I wasn't going to get into detail with that.

"It's not the bite I'm afraid of," he admitted. "Can we um... talk about this somewhere there's not cameras?" His eyes suddenly shifted to the crappy security running the place. I followed his gaze towards one of the small cameras before nodding in agreement.

After taking our drinks with us and leaving a tip on the table, we headed for the park. It was a beautiful day out, with golden leaves swirling around in a breeze that had picked up. Fall was one of my favorite seasons. You could really see how much everything changed with the cooler weather.

"So what's this all about?" I asked when we sat down on a bench. It was beside a small fountain. Water trickled from the mouth of a fish with it's tail sticking in the air.

"I think that spider bite gave me... powers," he explained. I looked at him skeptically once again. "No, not powers like yours," he quickly corrected himself. "More like... spider powers I guess. I don't know how to explain it."

"So, this spider that was from Oscorp suddenly gave you spider powers." When Peter nodded I looked around warily. What the hell was Oscorp doing with radioactive spiders? The whole idea didn't make any sense to me.

"I'm just afraid that I might accidentally hurt someone." Again his voice dropped to a whisper, and I frowned at that. I knew all too well what that was like, to feel afraid that I might hurt someone.

"Maybe you got those powers for a reason," I said in a reassuring tone.

This time it was Peter's turn to look at me in surprise. I only shrugged and glanced away.

"I should uh, probably go," he stammered once again.

My eyes narrowed when he got up and turned to leave, only to realize just how rude he was acting.

"Ah man, I'm sorry," he murmured after ruffling the back of his hair. "Look, I'm just not used to... talking like this."

"You mean to girls?" I raised an eyebrow and stood up, realizing how lame that sounded. Of course after the way Steve treated me this was nothing.

"Sort of... what I mean is, to people like you," he corrected himself. He sounded more embarrassed than ever. "I'm sorry," he apologized for what felt like the hundredth time. "That was rude."

I couldn't help but grin as I put a hand on his shoulder. He didn't even react to that, which meant he was perfectly relaxed. At this point I could easily attack if given the opportunity. But I wouldn't. I wasn't like that, I hoped.

"Hey, it's good," I replied. "And stop apologizing, you've done that enough already."

Peter only grinned back in response. "Hey, maybe we could hang out at my place some time," he suggested. "Then we can talk about the... you know, a bit more." People were walking by, giving us strange looks. I could see why Peter was trying to keep his condition discrete.

"Sure," I told him. "I'm free tomorrow."

His expression brightened before he left me standing there.

Okay... well, besides thing getting even more awkward, that didn't go too badly. But than I started wondering just how long I could keep this act up. Sooner or later Peter would find out what I was really up to. Maybe it was better I tell him the truth now, before he gets hurt.

First thing I do tomorrow when we meet was tell him the truth. The last thing I wanted to do was make him feel like I had betrayed him. Too many times it felt like I'd already done that. This time I would make sure that didn't happen.

. . .

"_I'm afraid I can't help you much, Peter. I don't know why they left or where they were going."_

_"Good reflexes."_

_"Thank you."_

_"Thank you."_

_"I read your book."_

_"Oh?"_

_"Yeah. It's something. So you really think its possible, cross-species genetics?"_

_"Yes, of course. But for years your father and I were mocked for our theories, not just in the community at large, but at OsCorp as well. They called us mad scientists. And then your father bred the spider and everything changed. The results were beyond encouraging, they were spectacular. We were gonna change the live of millions, including my own. Then it was over. He...he was gone, took his research with him. And then I knew without him I...I...I was angry, so I stayed away from you and your family. And for that I'm truly sorry._"

* * *

**AN: So there's chapter forty one. Can't believe I'm up to forty chapters already. Anywho, thanks dany1114 and UNSC UNDEAD BOOMER for reviewing! You guys are awesome!**

**Words in italics are quotes from the movie. I do not own them in any way.**


	42. Sent To Kill

**Chapter Forty Two**

* * *

_"Home will always be here, unseen, outta sight, Where I disappear and hide I think dreamy things as I'm waving goodbye, So I'll spread out my wings and fly..." Umbrella Beach, Owl City_

* * *

The Hellicarrier was buzzing with activity as agents walked back and forth to their missions. I was in one of the labs facing both Director Fury and Bruce Banner, much to my surprise. It was nice to see Bruce again, but something told me that he wasn't here as a friend.

Judging from the frown on his face he had pretty much been forced to join us.

"Okay, what's going on?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady as irritation crawled in.

I hated being left in the dark, especially if it was something important. And considering I was part of SHIELD, if something was going on than I had every right to know.

"An X-Men was killed this morning," Director Fury suddenly replied. My eyes widened in disbelief as Bruce looked at him in surprise. "You met Jean Grey, right?"

By now it felt like my heart had nearly stopped. Jean Grey was dead? I remembered her always sticking with Scott. But if she was dead than what had happened to the rest of the X-Men? I shook my head and tried to clear my anxious thoughts.

It made me wonder if I was the reason behind her death. Considering all that happened at the school, it wouldn't surprise me.

"Doctor Banner wanted to take a sample of your blood while he's on board," Fury added after an awkward silence followed. Now it was Bruce's turn to look embarrassed as Fury left us alone for a moment.

"I'm sorry," he apologized as I watched him warily, "Ever since Natasha mentioned the Aliquid I've been curious. I wanted to see if your blood is any different from ours."

That sort of made sense, though the idea of having a needle stuck in me made me flinch. Of all the things to fear, it was needles. Surprisingly dad had never had to take me to the doctors unless something severe happened. Which made my life a whole lot easier, until now.

I couldn't exactly turn down someone like Bruce. Not only was he a good friend but he was also skilled as a doctor. He may not think that the Hulk was a good thing to have, but I've seen the Hulk in action too. They were both good friends.

"Just make it quick," I muttered as I rolled up my sleeve.

Bruce only looked at me in surprise before grabbing a needle. "Sorry, I know it hurts," he murmured sympathetically as I braced myself.

"It's not your fault," I replied.

He could always blame whoever invented the damn thing. Someone with a cynical mind must have created such a device. Once he was finished I let out a sigh of relief. A sample of my blood was placed in a small tube on one of the counters.

I took the chance to jump off the table and see just how different my blood was compared to a normal human. Apparently when you're from another world your blood could be completely different. I'm sure the Aliquid were not an exception to that rule.

"So you have any new missions come up lately?" Bruce suddenly asked as he looked into a microscope. I looked at him in surprise until I realized he was trying to make small talk.

"Uh, yeah," I said sheepishly. I suddenly wondered if he knew anything about Curtis Connors. Maybe there was some kind of rule about doctors sticking together. "Do you know anything about Curtis Connors or Richard Parker?" I asked.

This time it was Bruce's turn to look surprised. Quickly he shook it off as though the names had no effect on him, which only confirmed my thoughts.

"Connors is the guy who researches cross-species genetics, right?" His voice was muffled as he began writing down notes on the paperwork scattered across the counter.

"Yes," I replied. "But there's something about that guy I don't trust."

"What he's researching is often thought of us dangerous," Bruce explained while writing away. Multitask, I have to love it. "If his research got into the wrong hands, the results could be disastrous."

I knew there was something about his research I didn't like. So I had a right to not trust him. But what was he trying to do with cross-species genetics anyways? He made it sound like he was trying to help cure everyday diseases. And yet there was so much more to it than that.

"So what do you think SHIELD should do about it?" My next question seemed to catch him off guard.

There were some things that SHIELD shouldn't get involved with. I knew that now. And yet when it came to dangers like Connors, we really had no choice.

"I think SHIELD should keep an eye on him, but from a safe distance," he replied. "If he knows that SHIELD is watching him than he might crack under the pressure, and we wouldn't want that."

I understood what he was talking about. Once when Bruce was trying to create a new version of the Super Soldier serum, he cracked under the pressure. General Ross kept egging him on about his research, and that's where it all went downhill. Bruce had used the serum on himself, which ended in the creation of the Hulk.

"I'll remember to keep that in mind," I reassured him. "So how long are you here for?" Bruce only gave me the slightest smirks once he was finished jotting down notes.

"Technically finding more information on the Aliquid is the only reason I'm here," he admitted. I could almost hear the guilt in my voice, but it did make me feel slightly humbled, and embarrassed.

"Was that Fury's call or yours?" I leaned against the wall, still wondering how much SHIELD really knew about my people.

"Let's just say that it's classified," he replied.

With that being said, I decided to leave him be and head back to the tower. I wasn't going to push him any further than I needed to. If worse came to worse, I could easily hack into the system and find the truth myself.

SHIELD could create all the bypass security codes they wanted, but that wouldn't stop me. I've lived with dad almost all my life, and have already figured out the majority of his passwords. I think it was time to do some investigating of my own.

. . .

"_I remember that, I've seen that before."_

_"The Ganali Device."_

_"Yeah, I remember a picture of that in my dad's office."_

_"The idea was so simple, you load it with an antigen, it creates a cloud which can be dispersed over a neighborhood, even an entire city. Theoretically you could cure Polio in an afternoon."_

_"It's incredible."_

_"Well, others disagreed. You know, what if the device were loaded with a toxin? What if you wanted to opt out? You can't run away from a cloud after all, so here it lies, gathering dust."_

_. . ._

_"What you see here is a computer model of lizard. Many of these wonderful creatures are so brilliantly adaptive that they can regenerate entire limbs at will. You can imagine my envy. We're trying to harness this capability in transferring into our host subject, Freddie, the three legged mouse."_

_"Enter the algorithm now."_

_"Do you need to take that?"_

_"Okay. Check. See what I'm trying to do?"_

_"Preempt the protein."_

_"Preempt the immune response."_

_"Extraordinary. And thank you. Meet Fred and Wilma, our three legged mice."_

_"Hey buddy, I got you."_

_"Okay. Careful, wouldn't want to inject you by mistake. Human trials aren't until next week. There._"

. . .

So far I've found next to nothing on Banner's research. Either he knew I was looking or he had a separate case file. For now I decided to ignore the urge and head back to the tower. A quinjet was already waiting for me on the landing deck.

It didn't take long for me to get back; it was half past eight at night. My mind was still whirling with questions on both Peter and Jean Grey. The fact that she was dead made me wish I had been there for her, and the rest of the X-Men.

I may not know them very well, but that didn't mean I wouldn't feel anything for them. Plus I couldn't imagine what the students at the school were going through right now. Jean must have been a good teacher considering how much I heard about her.

"Feeling pity for yourself?" My blood ran cold when I heard a familiar voice. I whirled around just in time to see Nathan standing behind me.

The last time I saw him was before the Chitauri had invaded. That felt like ages ago, but in reality it was only a few months.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice from faltering. Part of me already knew what he was doing here. Nathan was working for the Black Knights, at least that's my assumption.

"I was sent here to kill you, ironically enough," he replied. "Now, shall we do this the easy way or the hard way?"

He didn't give me a chance to answer. Without a second to react he lashed out with a knife he'd been hiding in the back of his shoe. I jumped out of the way just in time, narrowly avoiding getting my cheek grazed by the knife. With one back flip I was far enough away that I could shoot a ball of fire towards him. Nathan was quick on his feat, faster than I was expecting. My heart was racing with panic as he grabbed me by the wrist.

"I thought you would put up a better fight than this," he sneered as he slammed me against the sidewalk.

People walking by had already started running away the moment they saw the fight. Made me wish I could join them for a moment. I almost forgot what it was like to be normal, or have a normal life. And I doubted my life would ever be normal again.

"I can and I will!" I retorted just before pushing up with all of my strength. A piece of cement was hurtled towards Nathan just when I got to my feet. He let out a grunt of pain as cement pierced his cheek.

"You're gonna wish you hadn't done that." Nathan's jibe only made fight back harder.

I moved to the side as quickly as possible as he started throwing punches, each one leaving a sting as it landed. Before I knew it I was already throwing balls of fire and rock at Nathan as he started taking a more offensive approach. At this rate the fight could last forever; Nathan wasn't tiring out like I was hoping. Looks like it's time to take on a different approach.

"So whatever happened to your son, if he even is that." The words felt hollow in my throat as I caught his fist in mid-punch. Nathan's eyes widened in surprise when I threw my own fist directly into his stomach.

"Emmet is doing quite well," he sneered. "In fact his training is almost complete." I fought back a yelp of pain when his knife managed to score a deep mark on my cheek. "Soon he will be joining the rest of us in the hunt."

Right, I had a feeling he would get back to that. What the hell did he mean by the hunt? And where was backup when I needed it?

Nathan suddenly dropped the knife and reached for another weapon. By now my heart nearly stopped when I saw the gun he was holding. To my horror and disbelief, it was similar to the Destroyer weapon Coulson had used.

Oh, great. Where the hell was he hiding that thing? And how did the Black Knights get their hands on such a weapon? But I noticed that it was smaller compared to the one created by SHIELD. Small enough that he could conceal it if he needed to.

"We've been developing weapons far superior to yours," he added as the weapon began firing.

There was one thing Nathan didn't take into consideration. Without hesitation I threw a fireball directly into the weapon's mouth before it could fire. Nathan didn't last five seconds before dropping the weapon to run.

That weapon was going to cause a massive explosion, unless I managed to encase it somehow. I held back a sigh of frustration as I pulled as much cement over the weapon as possible, until suddenly an explosion shook the ground.

Almost at once car alarms started blaring, followed by the panicked shouts of people who lived nearby.

"What the hell happened here?" I held back a groan of frustration when I finally heard dad's voice.

He was standing behind me with his arms folded, wearing a nice tux and all. Pepper was standing next to him, her hand on her mouth as she tried to take in what had happened. And of course by the time they arrived Nathan was already gone.

"That bastard was sent to kill me," I muttered under my breath. Dad looked at me in concern until he noticed what was left of the Destroyer weapon. I was surprised that anything was left at all.

If there's one thing I learned about designing weapons, it was that they all had one major flaw. Fire a weapon into another weapon's mouth, and it would explode on you.

"Which one?" I rolled my eyes when dad asked that. "How the hell was he able to make a weapon like this?" he added warily.

"I don't know," I replied as I eyed the remains. Most of it was too charred to make out, but I could see that these people had done a good job mimicking the Destroyer weapon. "But I do know who can find out."

* * *

**AN: Hey everyone, sorry for the delay in updates. There was a house fire down the street from us and we've been kind of helping them as best as we can. But they made it out safely, and that's what's important. So I wanted to thank everyone for reviewing! Big thanks to danny1114, CaptainCommanderLucy, ellethwen of lothlorien, Sarah and UltimateGingeDW for reviewing! You guys are amazing :D**

**UltimateGingeDW: I actually already used Raging Fire as one of the song lyrics, and I try to avoid using the same song twice, the others I'd have to look into before posting, thank you for the suggestions though!**

**danny1114 - She's always getting herself into trouble, especially when it comes to the public. I might just have to use that against her one of these chapters :P And Peter's reaction will not be pretty, that's all I'm saying. But yeah, she definitely needs more friends her age, even if they are super-powered friends.**


	43. Too Many Deaths

**Chapter Forty Three**

* * *

_"Tell you a story and it starts with time, Moves to how you live, and learn how to die Another phase in this world that brings death to life, So don't believe in everything you see..." Tell Me A Story, Phillip Phillips_

* * *

"_I hope they're not gonna make us pay for the backboard."_

_"I don't care about the backboard. Was that true?"_

_"What?"_

_"What I heard in there, just now? Did you humiliate that boy?"_

_"Yeah, I did but..."_

_"But what?"_

_"This guy...this guy deserved it."_

_"Did he?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Is he the kid that hit you? Is he?"_

_"Yeah. Yeah, but..."_

_"So all this is about getting even? If so, I guess you must feel pretty good about yourself now, right? Am I right or wrong? Yeah, I thought so. Well, thanks to this little escapade of yours, I had to change shifts at work. So you have to pick Aunt May tonight at nine o'clock, understood? Is that understood?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Okay. Good._"

. . .

SHIELD agents were gathered outside and inside the tower a few hours later. And of course dad was not happy about that one bit. I couldn't really blame him for being pissed off; I would be too if someone was snooping around my work space. But this wasn't exactly something we couldn't just forget. Director Fury wanted to know who was behind sending Nathan after me, and how the Black Knights had created a Destroyer weapon.

"And you're sure that someone sent him?" Of all the people asking questions, it had to be Clint. He always had to make a big mess out of everything.

"Yes, that's exactly what he said," I replied. "Had the big guns and all, but he never made it clear as to who sent him." Though I had a good idea as to who it was. Doctor Curtis Connors, he had to be the reason behind this attack.

"Looks like my job is done here." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as Clint flipped the little notebook he'd been writing in.

"Thanks, for nothing," I muttered under my breath once he was gone. Dad folded his arms as the room was cleared in a matter of minutes.

"This is gonna take hours to clean up," he sighed irritably.

"They didn't even leave a mess dad," I pointed out.

Pepper was already cleaning up what had been turned over or was broken during the investigation. Most of the renovation was taking place upstairs anyways. Dad didn't have much to worry about at this point, unless he counted construction workers as thieves. Which hopefully wasn't the case.

I spent the next thirty minutes helping Pepper clean up until I was ready to drop over from exhaustion. Considering I was still only just recovering from my fight hours ago, I'm surprised I can still stand. My body was a lot more durable than I realized.

With that being said and done, I decided to call it a day and hit the shower. My muscles were still sore from that fight, and the warm rush of water actually felt good for a change.

I thought back to what had happened that night and what I could have done to stop it. There wasn't much damage done outside aside from having to cover the weapon when it exploded. Fury had even congratulated me for not destroying the city, again.

After I was finished in the shower and drying my hair, I took the chance to check my messages. Most of the time I got phone calls from SHIELD, but to my surprise someone else had called me.

Peter had called me three times before giving up. For a moment I wondered why he would have called me. Then I remembered that I had told him I worked for SHIELD. Maybe something had happened and he needed help.

Either way it was too late now. The call was made hours ago, and I'm sure that whatever it was he had it all sorted out. Right now I was too exhausted to be of any service.

All I could do now was hope I didn't have any nightmares for the rest of the night.

. . .

"_Listen to me, son."_

_"Yeah, go ahead."_

_"You're a lot like your father. You really are, Peter, and that's a good thing. But your father lived by a philosophy, a principle really. He believed that...that if you could do good things for other people, you had a moral obligation to do those things. That's what at stake here. Not a choice, responsibility."_

_"That is nice. That's really...that's great. That's all well and good, so where is he?"_

_"What?"_

_"Where is he? Where's my dad? He didn't think it was his responsibility to be here and tell me this himself?"_

_"Oh, come on! How dare you?"_

_"How dare I? How dare you?"_

_"Where are you going? Peter, come back here! Please!"_

_"Ben, leave him alone for a little while. He'll be alright._"

. . .

"_That's two-o-seven. Uh...it's two-o-seven."_

_"Yeah. No, I know."_

_"Here, you're holding up the line."_

_"No, you can leave a penny. You can't take a penny._

_"What?"_

_"You can't leave a penny anytime, you have to spend ten dollars to take a penny. Store policy. You gonna pay? You're holding up my line!"_

_"I don't have two cents."_

_"You can't afford your milk, just step aside. What, daddy didn't give you enough milk money today?"_

_"It's two cents, we're talking about two cents."_

_"Just step aside, kid. Really? Hey, stop! Somebody stop that guy! Hey, kid, a little help?"_

_"Not my policy._"

. . .

"How is it that one kid becomes the target of some crazy organization bent on destroying a single race?" Dad was fumbling around on his Stark Pad while I finished with the pancakes. I ignored the comment and handed him a plate before grabbing a bite of my own.

"There has to be more to it than we realize," I pointed out after pouring maple syrup on my meal. "I want to know how they were able to make that weapon; the Destroyer was not an easy weapon to imitate."

We both ate in silence as we tried to figure this out on our own. I had no doubts that the Black Knights had plenty of money to their name. But what I wanted to know was how they were able to create that weapon. The only ones who had files on it was SHIELD.

"What if someone's hacked into the SHIELD security files?" I suddenly asked to no one in particular.

"Would make sense, considering how crappy their security is." Dad only laughed when I glared at him. "Come on, you know it's true! A two-year old could hack into their security!"

I held back a sigh of frustration when I realized that he was right.

"Fury should know about this," I muttered crossly. Dad was about to reply when his eyes widened in disbelief. "What?"

"You might wanna read this." He handed me the Stark Pad, and I eyed him warily before reading the news that popped up.

'_Just last night, a body was found with bullet wounds out on the streets. The victim is known as Ben Parker, husband to May Parker. No word yet on the attacker, but he was last seen a convenient store at nine p.m._'

I think my heart just stopped for a moment. Ben Parker, he was Peter's uncle. No wonder dad looked so surprised when he saw this. First I found out that Jean Grey was dead, and now this. Too many people I knew were dying.

"Did you hear from the kid?" dad asked when he noticed how horrified I looked.

"I-I got a phone call last night," I explained, more like stammered. "But it was already late when I checked my messages, I didn't think it was important." Dad looked at me sympathetically.

"Ada, you can't keep blaming yourself for things like this," he told me in a reassuring tone. "Sometimes there are some people you just can't protect."

"But it's my job as a SHIELD agent to keep people safe." My hands were trembling with both grief and rage. "If I called him back than maybe-" Dad cut me off with a wave of his hand.

"Ada, it's alright." He put a hand on my shoulder; we were sitting at the bar, and of course that made it easier. "Fate happens for a reason, and sometimes it's impossible to stop."

I knew that he was talking from experience. When he was captured in Afghanistan, he never expected to be taken down so easily. But fate led him to create his Iron Man suit. Fate led us both to SHIELD, and me finding out who and what I really was.

"Thanks dad," I murmured.

"No problem."

Moments like these were rare nowadays. Usually we were both so busy with our jobs. But there were a few rare moments when dad and I had some alone time for a change. And that made it all the better, at least to me it did.

. . .

"_Hey, Parker?"_

_"Not today Flash."_

_"Hey, come on, man. I just wanna talk... It feels better, right? Look, your uncle died. I'm sorry. I get it. I'm sorry. Okay?_"

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the shorter chapter. It's mostly a filler, even though it's kind of important. But... oh well, what can one do? Big thanks to CaptainCommanderLucy and Spinosa for reviewing!**


	44. Unlikely Pair

**Chapter Forty Four**

* * *

_"Good morning my love, It's been a while since we have talked You have grown, Your eyes are older than the tallest tree you see Thirty lives can be extraordinarily long..." 30 Lives, Imagine Dragons_

* * *

Okay, just take a deep breath and knock on the door.

It sounded simple at the time when I reached Peter's address. Fury had given me the address after I asked for it 'politely'. Let's just say he was not happy to hear why I was doing this. I wanted to see Peter again, but not during business hours.

If Peter saw me wearing one of those SHIELD suits, he'd probably freak out. The last thing I wanted was for him to hate me, especially after what just happened to his uncle Ben.

Now I was starting to regret doing this. I'm sure Peter was in no mood to talk. And besides, he probably had better things to do than hang out with someone like me. I could always come back tomorrow and give him some time. Or maybe even never.

To passing pedestrians I probably looked like an idiot. I was surprised no one had stopped by and recognized me.

Then again to be fair I was wearing a sweater to keep my face hidden. I really didn't want to deal with the press, not today.

Finally I decided to take the risk and pushed the doorbell. Seconds seemed to fly by until the door suddenly clicked open. My eyes widened in disbelief when I saw Peter standing there, looking at me in amusement.

"I thought you were just going to stand there all day," he said with a smirk.

Seriously? I suppose this was just for getting back to me when I didn't answer the phone. But at the time I did have a valid excuse, and of course I couldn't exactly tell him that. I could only imagine how he would react if I told him what I really was.

"So how long did you know I was there?" I demanded, folding my arms in annoyance.

"I saw you walking by from my window," he admitted. "It's, it's right up there." He pointed towards a window that was right above the porch.

Much to my surprise and annoyance, he was right. He was probably watching and wanted to see how I would react. And I'm sure he was laughing the entire time. Even now I could see that he was smothering his laughter.

Without warning I splashed water on his face, causing him to jump in surprise. Since it had rained the night before there were puddles everywhere. Bonus points if he didn't see that one coming.

"You know it's rude to make a lady wait," I muttered crossly. That only resulted in Peter raising an eyebrow in disbelief, and of course we both ended up laughing this time.

"Who's at the door, Peter?" An elderly woman's voice sounded from inside. Peter glanced over his shoulder as she stepped outside. He stepped aside so that she could have a proper look at me. And almost at once her eyes lit up with recognition.

"Aunt May, this is Ada Stark," he introduced us before I could speak, earning him a glare. "Ada, this is my Aunt May."

"You're that girl who works for the Avengers, right?" I held back a groan when she asked that.

Most people would be asking other questions, such as what it's like being the daughter of Tony Stark or what my birthday and Christmas gifts are like because of being his daughter. Truthfully I didn't ask for much, just being alive and having a place to call home was enough for me.

"I don't work for them," I corrected her without hesitation. "I work with them, on occasion. Depends on how big of a threat it is we're dealing with." I rubbed my arm in embarrassment when she looked at me in shock.

"Honestly, a child your age going out and fighting super villains," she murmured under her breath. Now Peter looked embarrassed, and he looked away when his aunt glanced over at him. "Why, if it were Peter out there I don't know what I would do."

Before she could keep talking Peter suddenly grabbed me by the arm and pulled me inside.

"Hey Aunt May, I was wondering if we could... you know, have some alone time?" he asked.

The look his aunt and I gave him was priceless. Peter only grinned sheepishly as his aunt looked at him suspiciously.

"Alright, but be careful," she replied in a warning tone.

That only caused us both to blush. I really wish that there was a mind-wiping machine out there. This was one moment I'd rather forget. Luckily though Peter stopped it from getting even more awkward. He led the way up a flight of stairs and into his room.

I was actually looking forward to seeing what his room looked like. One thing I've learned over time was to not expect anything big or fancy. If there's one mistake I've made over the past few years it was going into Clint's room during a SHIELD mission. That was one memory I would never forget, especially when I realized that he was standing behind me, grinning like the bastard he is.

Quickly I shook the thought aside as Peter opened his door. What I saw next only made me grin.

A mess. His room was covered in dirty clothes, an unmade bed and what looked like paper littering the ground. I noticed on a nightstand beside his bed there was a smashed alarm clock. And right in front of his window was a large computer desk.

Okay, Peter's room made Clint's look like heaven. Maybe that was stretching it a bit far, but you get the idea.

Peter's eyes widened in shock when he realized how messy his room was.

"Sorry, I know it's messy," he stammered as he started throwing piles of clothes and papers to the side.

I couldn't help but grin as I watched him make a path for us both to get through.

"So uh..." I wasn't even sure where to start as he sat on the bed and cleaned off the chair for me to sit on. "Sorry for not picking up the phone."

"Oh... yeah." Peter looked down at the floor, his expression changing from amused to sad.

I didn't blame him for feeling that kind of grief. I knew all too well what it was like to lose someone I cared about.

"I'm guessing SHIELD told you the news," he said bitterly.

Guilt gnawed at my stomach when he said that. I should have been there for him. Instead I was busy spying on him and trying to figure out how he fought off those thugs in the subway. Biting the bottom of my lip, I thought of what to say next.

"I wish there was something we could've done," I murmured thoughtfully. "At least put the shooter in prison for what he did."

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened," he suddenly pointed out. My fists unclenched in surprise when he looked at me this time. "You couldn't stop it even if you wanted to. Some things are just... meant to happen."

This time it was my turn to feel shocked.

Dad had said the same thing last night. All I could think of was how I could've been there for them, or how we could've stopped the thief. Yet here Peter was telling me that everything would be fine.

"It's my fault." His voice dropped to a whisper, and I could hear the despair within. "I stormed out of the house and... I was just acting so stupidly! If I'd known what the thief was doing..." He stopped himself as he began stammering.

We sat there in awkward silence as he tried calming himself. I could see the tears beginning to stir as he looked away. So I decided to look elsewhere and take everything around me in. Posters were spread out across the wall. Some of them had formulas written on them, others had famous scientists like Albert Einstein on them. Finally I looked down at his desk and noticed a piece of paper with a sketching on it. I raised an eyebrow in surprise when I noticed that it was a mask with sunglasses covering it.

"That's nothing, just some... homework I'm working on," he explained when he saw what I was looking at.

"Looks like a mask," I said in a quiet voice.

"Yeah well, it's an art project," he replied.

"You'll need a mask if you want to hide your identity," I pointed out. Peter looked at me in confusion until I pointed to a poster hanging behind him. "Don't worry, SHIELD won't know a thing," I added when his confusion turned to a look of panic.

Of course Fury would have my ass for doing this behind his back. But Peter was a friend, not a common criminal. I could trust Peter compared to some of the SHIELD agents I've gotten to know.

"I thought of designing a costume to... you know, take down the thug," Peter explained as he picked up the paper. "But I haven't been able to make the right one."

"Then maybe it's a good thing I'm here," I replied with another grin.

. . .

"_Sir, we just saw agent Stark walk into the Parker's home."_

_"Any word yet on what they're up to?"_

_"No sir, I'm afraid not."_

_"Keep an eye on them both. If things get out of hand we'll need to step in."_

_"Understood stir!_"

. . .

"You sure this is gonna work?" Peter eyed the device I was working on suspiciously.

It was almost like an arch repulser. But this time it would shoot a web-like substance. Peter had discovered the use of his spider silk web, and I was left designing the weapon. I had to admit that it was fun working with him.

Peter reminded me a lot of Fitz and Simmons. He was smart and had a good sense of humor.

"You dare doubt my work?" I demanded as I tossed him the device. After working on it for about thirty minutes it appeared to be fully functional. Hopefully the first test would prove I was right.

The worst part was the stench that followed when Peter started working on the spider silk. Peter had managed to upgrade it into something better, a thicker webbing that could hold his weight. But that was when the smell began filling the room. Eventually we were left with no choice but to open the window, hoping the smell would go away.

"Alright, test number one commence." Gingerly Peter put the device on his wrist and aimed it towards the wall.

In a matter of seconds he pressed the button and fired a shiny looking web onto the wall.

"Test number one complete," I said with a triumphant smirk. Peter looked at me oddly before I shrugged. "It's an inside joke," I explained, thinking of all the inventions I'd worked on with Fitz and Simmons. And of course all of the explosions that would follow afterwords.

"Thanks again for making this... you sure your dad won't mind?" he asked as he took it off.

"Peter, half of the device was made from compartments in your room," I pointed out. "My dad would probably be impressed that this was made."

He gave me a sheepish look before looking back at the sketch work. "Man, I don't even know where to start with this," he sighed irritably.

"You're gonna need clothing before you can even design a costume," I reminded him. Peter looked down at the floor when he realized I was right.

"I think I've got an idea," Peter replied. I was about to say something when my phone started to ring.

Looking down I forced back a groan when I realized who it was. Of all the times to call, Fury had to choose now. Peter rose an eyebrow in confusion as I stood up and stuffed my phone back into my pocket.

"I've got uh... work to do," I explained warily.

It took Peter a few seconds to understand what I meant.

"So... can we possibly discuss this later?" he asked as he followed me down the stairs.

"Of course... same time?" I folded my arms once I was at the doorway.

When Peter nodded in agreement I waved goodbye to both him and his aunt May. She seemed like a nice old lady, well, as nice as old ladies get I suppose.

"I'll see you later!" I shouted, knowing full well Peter would hear.

Maybe this mission really wasn't such a bad idea after all. If I kept this up Peter would never suspect that I was asked to befriend him for SHIELD's sake. He really was a good kid, and the last thing I wanted to do was ruin our friendship. If I could even call it that.

I decided not to think about it as I headed back home. By that point I had forgotten about Fury's call, deciding that he could wait. Hopefully that plan wouldn't backfire on me anytime soon.

* * *

**AN: Here's chapter forty-four! Sorry for the slowness of these chapters, but I wanna keep a good pace before things really get exciting ;) Big thanks to UltimateGingeDW for reviewing!**


	45. Truth Revealed

**Chapter Forty Five**

* * *

_"Our last memory, She had water in her eyes She cried, "Stay with me!" And asked, "How can this be love if you're leaving me?" But darling, love's to blame..." Love's To Blame, For King and Country_

* * *

"_What's the status so far?"_

_"Agent Stark developed a weapon sir... what looks to be a web shooter. He's taken down several different thugs since than."_

_"What about Ada?"_

_"We believe she knows what he's up to. She's been seen with the Parker boy more often than ever lately."_

_"Keep an eye on them both. I want you to report immediately if there's a problem."_

_"Understood sir!_"

. . .

"_Masked vigilante strikes again!_"

Words in capital letters were written across the newspaper. I had to hide back a knowing smirk as I read them. Thanks to the web shooters I designed for Peter, he was getting better. He had designed a temporary costume until we could come up with a better idea. And I have to say it was a nice change to find out there was less crime on the streets.

Of course the public saw Peter as a troublemaker. I'm surprised people weren't more afraid of me when word of my powers slipped. I always assumed that was because dad would've sued the media if things got out of hand.

Dad sat across from me, looking at me in shock when he saw what I was reading. Pepper was sitting on the sofa watching the news, oblivious to what was going on.

"Okay, now I know something's up," dad said after I looked at him with innocent eyes. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," I replied. "Just an inside joke between me and a friend."

"Right, and I'm supposed to believe that," dad said with a roll of his eyes.

"Oh leave her be Tony," Pepper said once she turned off the TV. "Obviously she has a new friend." She gave me a knowing wink before heading for the kitchen, dad staring after her before glaring at me accusingly.

"Dad, we're just friends, nothing more!" I reminded him.

I couldn't ever see us going out anyways. Peter was different from me, but in a good way. He had a somewhat normal life compared to me, and I didn't want him to get involved in mine. It felt selfish even thinking about it.

"Sure you are," he muttered. "So is your new friend a guy or a girl?"

This time I forced back a groan and tried ignoring his jibes. Seriously, of all the times to get suspicious! By the time dad was finished with his interrogation I realized that it was close to noon. He and Pepper had a business trip to attend later that night, so they were already getting ready to leave, much to my relief.

"Are you sure you'll be fine while we're gone?" Pepper asked. Considering they would be gone for the rest of the week, I'd be more than okay. I forced back a sheepish grin and nodded.

"I'll be fine," I reassured her. "Hey Pepper?" She looked at me in surprise before letting me continue. "I know this is a weird question and all but... how do you tell someone that it was your mission to become friends, and yet you really see them as a friend?"

I've been trying to run this situation in my head for days now. Each solution ended badly, with Peter either refusing to talk to me or giving me as much distance as possible. I didn't want to ruin what friendship we had, if I could even call it that.

"If this is about what SHIELD is doing, than I would tell him the truth," Pepper replied. "The longer you wait the more painful the truth will get. He'll feel as though you betrayed him to SHIELD."

Well, I suppose that made sense. Than I straightened up when I realized what she had said.

"How did you know it was a 'he'?" I demanded.

"Just a lucky guess," she laughed as I folded my arms. "Don't worry, Tony will never know."

Let's hope that's the case. Otherwise dad might spazz out if he found out. Just when Pepper said that dad got out of his room wearing a nice looking suit for his presentation. Once he was ready it was time for them to go.

"Jarvis has the security system up," dad explained before they left. "So no wild parties while we're gone."

I highly doubted there would be any wild parties. Unless SHIELD suddenly decided to stop by. Knowing Clint he would use this time to play one of his 'ultimate' pranks before dad got back. Those two were always at each others' throats when it came to pranks.

"I'll see you later, and good luck with the presentation," I called as they headed for the elevator.

Just as they left I grabbed my phone to see that I got a text.

'_Same time, same place_?' Peter's message made me grin like an idiot. Looks like I'd be busier than I was expecting.

. . .

"What do you think?" Peter asked, sipping on a smoothie while showing me one of his latest drawings. We were sitting at a table in a cafe, oblivious to the stares people were giving us. I was afraid of what the paparazzi would think when they spotted us. Hopefully this place with the large crowd wouldn't drawl too much attention.

The drawing itself looked like someone was wearing pajamas. But I could see where Peter got the idea. There were plenty of superheroes who would dress like that out in public. To be honest Steve's uniform kind of reminded me of that. But I would never say that out loud, especially in front of Steve. I can only imagine how red with anger he would get. Of course seeing him like that would be hilarious... maybe if I could get Clint to say that instead of me somehow.

"You going to a slumber party?" I took a sip of my tea.

"What? No." Peter scratched his chin as he looked at the drawling in confusion, than at me. "Why?"

"'Cause to be honest, it the suit reminds me of pajamas," I admitted. Now it was his turn to look embarrassed.

"It's just a rough copy," he explained.

"Change the colors; green and purple aren't exactly appealing together unless it's a flower," I said. Peter raised an eyebrow before understanding what I was saying.

Purple may be one of my favorite colors, but green really didn't go together with it. Unless of course you were talking about a flower, than it looked pretty. But that was about the only time I could think of when it worked.

Eventually Peter changed the colors until he came up with an idea that would meet his standards and possibly everyone else. I looked at the drawling in surprise when I saw red and blue covering the suit. Now it really did look like Captain America's... only better.

"Now that's a good combination." I stopped speaking when I saw someone familiar walking towards the cafe. "Oh no," I muttered crossly when I recognized them immediately. Peter looked at me in surprise until he saw what I was staring.

"Do you know him?" Peter asked.

"Just pretend we're doing homework, maybe he won't notice," I replied.

But it was too late. Steve had already spotted and recognized me as he walked down the street. I tried hiding my face best as I could as he walked inside, ordering a drink from a surprised employee. Peter's grin was enough for me to kick him under the table, causing him to glare at me.

The store itself was already packed enough with people. I was surprised to see no empty seat, and of course Steve took notice to when he received his order. Because the situation couldn't get anymore awkward, Steve took notice of us and decided to use the chance to approach. Remind me again why we chose this cafe to sit it?

"Hi Ada," Steve said once he reached us.

"Hey Steve," I replied with the faintest of smiles. "Fancy seeing you here." Steve glanced between me and Peter, and by now we were both looking at one another, trying to figure out how to get away.

"Do you mind if I join you? There are no other free tables," he asked when an awkward silence followed.

"Uh... sure," Peter replied with a shrug.

He scooted over so that Steve could sit in the booth. And cue an even more awkward silence.

"I'm Steve Rogers," he suddenly introduced himself when he realized Peter didn't know who he was.

"Peter Parker." The two shook hands as the situation became about as awkward as it could get.

"So are you two on a date or something?" His question caught me completely off guard, causing my cheeks to turn a bright red. Peter on the other hand gaped before trying to come up with some kind of excuse.

"Of course not!" Peter was the first to pipe up. Steve only looked at us suspiciously, but thankfully he didn't press any further.

The silence only made things worse as Peter looked anywhere but me or Steve. I took slow sips of my tea in order to avoid getting spoken to. I wasn't even sure what to say at this point. Steve would likely tell Tony what I was up to, if he was the good honest soldier everyone saw him as.

"You know, I think we have shopping to do," I suddenly pointed out. Peter looked like he was about to protest when he realized what I was doing. Steve eyed us skeptically as I sat up and tossed my drink.

"You're right, we do," Peter said before getting up as well.

I actually did feel kind of bad for leaving Steve out in the cold like that. But this wasn't one of those times. Besides, Steve wasn't really a close friend or anything. I was only just warming up to him, considering what he had said to me back at the Hellicarrier.

Once outside the tension seemed to evaporate. My shoulders sagged with relief as Peter and I walked side-by-side. It was strange having someone so close to my side. The last time I had walked like this was when I had been dating Emmet.

"Thanks, you didn't have to do that," Peter murmured when we were far enough away.

"No problem... it's not like we're friends anyways," I replied with a shrug. "We're more like... acquaintances."

"Does he work for SHIELD?" Peter's question left me biting the bottom of my lip. Suddenly I remembered what Pepper had said to me about telling him the truth.

"Peter look," I began after taking a deep breath. "Maybe we shouldn't be doing this." The look Peter gave me was priceless. "Hanging out I mean," I quickly explained. "SHIELD wants me to keep an eye on you, to see whether or not you're a threat."

I could see that Peter was trying to process what I just said. His expression changed from a mixture of confusion to anger, than even more confusion.

"But you said that you worked for SHIELD," he pointed out. "So were you just lying to me then?"

"Of course not, I do work for SHIELD," I replied with a shake of my head. "But I haven't told my boss anything. And I don't plan on telling them anything. All I'll tell them is that you're not a threat."

Peter looked like he was ready to say something when he only shook his head. "So you're saying I should just forget what you said and move on," he suggested before things could get any worse. He had every right to hate me for lying to him.

"I don't blame you for not wanting to forgive me," I murmured.

I turned to start leaving when he suddenly grabbed me by the arm. Hope flared within me when he finally spoke up again.

"Wait, I could use some help shopping for an outfit," he explained with the slightest of grins.

. . .

"_Ahem, you know, in the future, if you're gonna steal cars, don't dress like a car thief, man."_

_"What, are you a cop?"_

_"Really? You seriously think I'm a cop? Cop in a skintight red and blue suit? You know, you're...you're...you got a mind of true scholar, sir."_

_"Just let me go."_

_"Is that a knife? Is that a real knife?"_

_"Yes, it's a real knife."_

_"My weakness, it's small knives."_

_"Just let me go."_

_"Anything, but knives... Oh, it's so simple. That was cool, man."_

_"What the hell is this?"_

_"Webbing that I developed myself. A friend of mine developed the web shooters. I don't think you really wanna know anymore right now."_

_"Come on! Let me go!"_

_"Okay, one second! One second!"_

_"Come on, let me go! Stop it! That isn't funny!"_

_"It is kind of funny."_

_"Come on! Help! Help!"_

_"Ssh! This could have gotten a lot worse. Now, hold still. Oh, the boys in blue are here! I got him!_"

. . .

I wasn't alone in the kitchen this time as Steve finished his bowl of chicken salad. After the guy called be five times I finally decided to end the torture and let him in, much to my dismay. I couldn't exactly be a bad hostess and ignore his requests. So now here he was sitting at one end of the dining room table with me sitting on the other, looking at the Stark Pad with interest. Truthfully I was trying to avoid having a conversation with Capsicle right now.

"So," he began when an uncomfortable silence fell between us. "What were you doing with that Parker boy?" Almost at once my face flushed red with anger and confusion.

"I'd rather not talk about it," I muttered crossly. I hated it when Steve gave me that skeptical look. He always seemed to know when I was lying.

"Are you two dating?" he asked warily.

"Why does everyone keep asking that?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.

First dad had accused me of dating and now Steve was in on it. Maybe I should lie about that too and say that I was. But I could only imagine what Peter would say if he found out. It was probably best not to say anything.

"SHIELD assigned me to keep an eye on him, and that's all I'm doing," I explained.

"So this is just a SHIELD project for you?" Steve raised an eyebrow once again, leaving me stumped. What exactly was I supposed to say to that? It's not like I could openly explain that SHIELD doesn't trust Peter or Dr. Connors, who is the real reason behind my investigations.

"You know what, I think we're done here," I snapped.

"If you have feelings for him you should tell him," Steve suddenly pointed out. "Believe me when I know what it's like to keep love a secret."

This time it was my turn to look surprised as he headed for the elevator. I held back a sigh before following him.

"I'm sorry," I murmured before he could leave. "It's just that... I feel like I'm under a lot of pressure this time with SHIELD and everything else going on." Steve looked at me sympathetically and put a hand on my shoulder, reminding me of the times when dad would comfort me when I was feeling upset or angry.

"It's okay," he replied. "Someone at your age shouldn't be going through this much stress. You should take a break from SHIELD for a while. It might do you some good."

I was about to reply when I thought better of it. Suddenly what Steve said made sense as he left to go back to his apartment. For now Steve was staying in New York until he found a place in Washington D.C., where SHIELD's main headquarters was located. And after this mission was finished I had a feeling I would be joining him.

Maybe what Steve said was true. Maybe it was time I took a little vacation from SHIELD and the rest of the world. I had a feeling that once this was over I would need that break.

. . .

"_Freeze! You in the tights, don't move!"_

_"You serious?"_

_"Who are you?"_

_"No one seems to grasp the concept of the mask."_

_"Freeze!"_

_"I just did eighty percent of your job! Huh? That's how you repay me?_"

* * *

AN: Here's the next chapter! Hope everyone is enjoying it so far, and thanks Spinosa for reviewing! Please don't forget to let me know what you think of this so far. I'd love to get some of your feedback!


	46. Fun on the Hellicarrier

**Chapter Forty Six**

* * *

_"Love; it will not betray you, Dismay or enslave you, it will set you free Be more like the man you were made to be..." Sigh No More, Mumford and Sons_

* * *

"_Thirty-eight of New York's finest, versus one guy in a unitard. Am I correct?_"

. . .

I was bored.

Pacing around my room with not much to do aside from sitting and waiting. For two days now I haven't gotten any phone calls from either Fury or Peter. That left me wondering what the two were up to. After all Fury called me almost every day just to make sure I wasn't causing any trouble.

It was likely Peter was busy with his work taking down the thugs. And even more likely that Fury was pissed with me for ignoring his calls earlier.

Maybe I should take Steve's advice in getting a break. I have been dealing with a lot of stress lately.

With all honesty I have been keeping myself busy for a reason. I was afraid that somehow I would get into another argument with Nadia. Though I haven't spoken to her mentally for weeks, I was still afraid from our last encounter.

Finally I stopped my pacing and sat down on the bed, thinking back to what I had thought of when I was on the Hellicarrier.

Inner peace was something I had never truly found or discovered. Bruce always told me that it was important if I wanted to control my powers. He spoke from experience. After spending the last few years with the Hulk inside him, Bruce knew all too well what it was like to lose control.

Since I was alone I had the chance to find out how I could achieve inner peace. I sat cross legged on my bed and tried to clear my thoughts.

'_It is about time_.' I jumped when I heard Nadia's familiar voice.

'_I'm not in the mood for talking_,' I replied almost instantly.

'_Ada, I understand that you are angry_._ You have every right to be_.' Nadia's words surprised me. For a moment I wasn't sure what to say, until I thought it over carefully.

'_I don't want to kill, it's not what I do_,' I murmured.

'_Those people will not hesitate to kill you_,' Nadia replied. There was no sympathy in her voice. '_They have killed so many of our kind, and now they will hunt you down until there is nothing left_.'

I could almost feel her anger as my own. But I pushed it aside almost at once. The last thing I wanted was to lose control, especially here in my room. I could only imagine what dad would say if he found it destroyed because of me.

What she said was true. The Black Knights, whoever the hell they were, would not stop until I was dead. I knew now that they were after me, not just because I was part of SHIELD. But because I was the last of my people. I was a survivor, and they didn't like that.

'_There has to be another way_,' I suddenly said.

'_I'm afraid there is no other way_.' Nadia's voice held a firm tone to it, telling me that she would not change her mind. It was only seconds later when the link was broken, leaving me feeling stumped.

What was I supposed to do now? I didn't want to kill. I just wasn't cut out for that. Maybe I could ask someone like Coulson for advice. I had a feeling Natasha wouldn't know what to say to a question like that. Considering she was trained to kill when she was younger, she might feel conflicted.

Either way this was not going to be easy. One way or another I would have to stop Nadia from killing them, and I knew the end results would not be pretty.

. . .

"_It has been confirmed that the last of the Aliquid lives in the city of New York."_

_"I thought they were all wiped out."_

_"The woman we slaughtered, she sacrificed herself to save her child. I am sure that the child she saved is the one we are hunting now."_

_"We must find the child before it is-"_

_"No, we have already drawn too much attention, no thanks to you, Nathan. You should not have accepted that offer; now SHIELD will be looking out for us."_

_"For now we must keep ourselves hidden. We wait for the right chance to strike._"

. . .

"You look tired." Bruce's voice brought me back to reality as I sat at a table on the Hellicarrier.

I was surprised he stayed behind. He could have gone off the grid once again. But this time he stayed to help SHIELD where we needed it. Bruce was one of the best medical doctors I've ever had the pleasure to meet. And he was a good friend.

"Didn't get much sleep last night," I admitted.

That much was true.

My mind had been churning with questions about how I would keep Nadia from controlling me again. So far I've come up with nothing, and it was getting frustrating.

"You and me both," he muttered after grabbing a lunch tray.

The cafeteria was normally buzzing with activity around this time of the day. I was surprised to see it so empty right now. The only people I saw in the room were a couple of agents I didn't recognize. The food here wasn't too bad, but it could be better. Maybe that was why it was so empty.

"Hey Bruce?" I suddenly asked. He looked up at me in confusion before I continued, "do you by any chance happen to know how one would convince another that killing is wrong?"

"What's this about?" He eyed me cautiously as I looked down at my bottle of water.

How exactly could I tell him that I was facing an inner battle with someone who was supposedly dead? "It's... complicated," I said thoughtfully.

"Well, if someone was bent on killing than I would do everything in my power to stop them," he replied carefully.

If only it was that easy. I didn't want to explain that she was somehow controlling my powers. That incident back at Xavier's School for the Gifted kept running through my mind. I'm sure there were easier ways to stop her. I just needed practice, yet again.

Soon we were joined by Clint and Natasha, much to our surprise. Bruce ate on in silence as the cafeteria began filling up.

"So what's this I hear about you going on a date?" Clint's question caught me completely off guard. Both Bruce and Natasha decided to stay out of it while I glared at Clint.

"For the last time, we are not dating!" I nearly shouted, ignoring the looks everyone was giving me. Clint only smirked when he realized he hit a sore spot.

"Your eyes say otherwise," he pointed out.

"What do you know about romance?" Natasha asked.

Her question was aimed towards Clint, and I couldn't help but giggle at the expression on his face. He was about to respond when he thought better of it.

"Remind me again why I stick around with you three?" Bruce asked the question this time after finishing his lunch.

"You wouldn't know what to do without us," I suggested, earning a laugh from even Natasha.

We sat there for the next few minutes, just chatting about our every day lives and what sort of missions were coming up next. I couldn't remember the last time I had this much fun on the Hellicarrier. It was nice being able to hang out with friends, not worrying about my life or anyone else's.

"I know that Fury wants me to keep an eye on him, but I don't think that's necessary," I sighed as I began crinkling the now empty bottle of water.

"Fury thinks that he has the potential to become a good SHIELD agent," Natasha explained once we were alone. It didn't take long for both Bruce and Clint to leave along with everyone else.

"What happens if he says no?" I asked warily.

I remembered asking the same question not long ago. Back before I joined SHIELD I too had my doubts. But now I knew that this was where I belonged.

"If Peter is as smart as you say he is, he will make the right choice," she replied.

I looked at her warily before holding back a sigh of frustration. I supposed she was right about that. Hopefully Fury would give Peter a chance to do things on his own. Otherwise Peter might turn his back on SHIELD when he needed their help the most.

. . .

"_Where were you?"_

_"I was out."_

_"Did you get the eggs?"_

_"Nope. Forgot the eggs! I'm gonna get it now."_

_"No, you most certainly will not! Not at this hour!"_

_"Look at me, Peter? Take off the damn hood and look at me."_

_"Where do you go? Who does this to you?"_

_"Please go to sleep, Aunt May."_

_"Please tell me."_

_"Aunt May, please, please please go to sleep!"_

_"I can't sleep! Don't you understand? I can't sleep! Peter, listen to me. Secrets have a cost, they're not for free. Not now, not ever_."

. . .

Finally after spending hours alone in the Hellicarrier, I was approached by Fury. I'd been waiting to talk with him all afternoon. I had talked to Natasha a bit more about what to do with Peter and his new role as a 'superhero'. She was the only one who knew as far as I was concerned, though I'm sure other agents were already making their own guesses.

"You wanna explain why you've been ignoring my calls?" he demanded when he stopped in front of me.

"I'd say ignoring is a bit extreme," I began. "More like I'm giving you space." Fury looked unamused. So much for that approach.

"I assigned you this mission because you were the right age and had the right qualifications," Fury went on before I could speak again. "I'm beginning to see that I was wrong. Maybe it's time to send you back to basic training."

"Fine, do that," I muttered with a roll of my eyes. "But it won't stop me from forcing him into joining SHIELD."

Fury looked like he was ready to snap when he thought better of it. I could be just as stubborn as dad if I needed to be. And Fury knew that. Trying to force me into something wasn't going to get me anywhere, especially now.

"If anything happens it's on your hands," he snapped. "From this moment on his safety is your responsibility."

I looked at Fury in disbelief before realizing what he meant by that. With another roll of my eyes I decided to leave it at that, knowing that Fury would never let me live it down if things went wrong. I'm hoping things don't go wrong if he actually was serious.

. . .

"_Cross-species genetics is finally working. I've used lizard DNA to help Freddie regrow that limb."_

_"It's a miracle."_

_"No, it's hard work and a promise, and it's a step closer to the primate lab."_

_"Ah, but he doesn't have time for every little step."_

_"Little?"_

_"I just mean he can't wait."_

_"Well, he'll have to. Unless he wants to be a lab rat."_

_"That's not what I'm saying."_

_"So what are you saying?"_

_"You have to start human trials, now."_

_"No, I don't. And no, I won't."_

_"Well, then he's going to die."_

_"People die, even Norman Osborn."_

_"We are not finished."_

_"Human trials? Where on earth are you gonna find the people to volunteer?"_

_"The wards, as far as anyone's concerned, it's for a winter flu shot. I might think that veterans hospitals a place to start."_

_"You gotta be kidding me?"_

_"I don't think I am. It's a little late for shock and indignation, Curt. About fifteen years late."_

_"I've no idea what you're talking about?"_

_"Richard Parker wore it well. On you, it's a cheap suit, as it was then."_

_"I have nothing to do with that."_

_"Is that what you told his son, Peter?"_

_"I don't know what you're saying."_

_"You don't know, or you don't wanna know? I'll remind you what happened. Richard Parker said just about the same thing then that you are saying now. The clock is ticking, Dr. Connors."_

_"I um... I won't."_

_"Fine. The formula is ours now, anyway. Say goodbye to that arm you dreamed of. I'm shutting it down. Have your office cleared out by the morning, your toys could be taken away too, you know? Right, Freddie?_"

* * *

**AN: Yay for random chapters! But this does hold an important plot to the story, one that will be introduced later on. And I can't believe this is part five, part six is coming up soon! Hope everyone is looking forward to it :D Big thanks to ellethwen of lothlorien, UltimateGingeDW, Agent.S for reviewing! You guys are awesome :D**


	47. Another Filler

**Chapter Forty Seven**

* * *

_"There's a sun coming up, In my soul, Lord, in my soul There's a sun coming up, In my soul, Lord, in my soul..." My Beloved, David Crowder_

* * *

"_How's it going?"_

_"Where are you headed?"_

_"Uh...Monday, B-track."_

_"It's Thursday."_

_"It's Thursday?"_

_"What happened to your eye?"_

_"Where?"_

_"You're eye, it looks bruised."_

_"Oh! Yeah, yeah! I don't know. Maybe I got a rash."_

_"It's pretty bad. Have you gone to the nurse?"_

_"Mmhmm."_

_"Do you like branzino?"_

_"Like the fish?"_

_"Mmhmm. No, I know. I know. I know."_

_"Well, if you want, you can come to this address at uh...at eight o'clock tonight. My mom's making Branzino, so. Oh, it's apartment twenty sixteen. I didn't...I didn't write that part down. I don't why I didn't."_

_"I'll remember it."_

_"Twenty sixteen._"

. . .

"So why the sudden urge to go out?"

"We're not on a date Jimmy, don't push it."

It was strange hanging out with Jimmy outside of SHIELD. But it was also a nice change in pace from my usual life. I hadn't seen Peter in the last few days. He was busy taking down thugs and fixing his new outfit we had looked at together.

So while Peter was gone I took the chance to catch up with an old friend. Jimmy had been feeling left out since I started hanging out with Peter. I couldn't blame him for feeling betrayed. We had become good friends when I first joined SHIELD, but my life had gotten so chaotic with the Avengers making their appearance.

"But you called first so..." Jimmy's grin was enough to make me punch him lightly in the arm. "So what's your dad up to lately? Busy with the industry?"

"He and Pepper are off on a business trip," I explained as we headed for the nearest Starbucks. "I think he'd kill me if he knew where I was right now," I added sheepishly.

"I thought you said this wasn't a date."

I couldn't help but blush when he pointed that out. Sometimes life was better when you could hang out with friends. No stress and no messes to clean up afterwords... this was what it should always be like. But than I realized how selfish that wish sounded. I loved my life, and I couldn't imagine it being any better.

"What's Fury got you doing lately?" I asked when we got inside the building. It was fairly empty, much to my surprise and relief.

"Working on some tech designs," he replied. "Mostly stuff to improve the uh... you know." He added the last part with a shrug, realizing that people were listening.

Yeah, this probably wasn't a conversation best had in public. SHIELD wasn't exactly a well-known agency to the public eye. And what we did do often got looked upon as dangerously stupid to normal civilians.

"So why did you suddenly decide to call me?" After getting our orders and sitting down, Jimmy finally found the courage to ask the question I'd been dreading.

I glanced at my hot chocolate warily, not exactly sure how to answer. With Peter not talking to me it had occurred to me how few friends I really had. I mean having friends that were my age. Jimmy and Fitz-Simmons were really the only other friends I had close to my age.

"I thought it would be nice, you know," I admitted. Jimmy must have noticed the guilt in my voice. But he didn't say anything, much to my relief. "I'm sorry we haven't talked a lot lately," I added. "Life has just gotten... chaotic."

"Actually I'm the one who should apologize," he replied while running his hand through his hair. "I was feeling stressed that day when I snapped... working under Fitz-Simmons isn't exactly the easiest job."

"Were they trying to pull off their annual prank?" My question caught him off guard, but Jimmy only grinned and nodded.

We both laughed and started talking again, just like old times. Fitz was always the one who came up with the pranks. While Simmons wasn't one to follow in his footsteps, she often got pulled into them by accident.

I had to admit, this was so much nicer than being forced into making friends. Hopefully we could stay friends, even through the toughest of times.

Actually that sounded kind of corny when I thought about it. Maybe it was best if we just stay friends and leave it at that.

. . .

"_Hi! How did you get out there?"_

_"The fire escape. Your doorman's intimidating."_

_"That's twenty stories!"_

_"Yeah, it's alright. This is your room?"_

_"Yes, this is my room."_

_"Books. Pictures. Oh, hey, uh...I got your mom these."_

_"Oh, lovely!"_

_"Yeah, they're beautiful, right?"_

_"They're beautiful."_

_"They were...they were nice."_

_"No, they're beautiful."_

_"I'm sorry."_

_"No, it's impressive. They're actually held together very well."_

_"I'm gonna keep these."_

_"Do you have your suit in there?"_

_"My suit?"_

_"For dinner? Are you gonna...are you gonna wear that? That's um...that's..._"

. . .

"_Emma, it's Curt. Is he there?"_

_"I'm afraid not, doctor. The car's taking him to the veterans hospital in Brooklyn."_

_"No, no, no! He can't, Emma. You...you have to stop him. He...he..."_

_"I would, but I always lose him when he's on the bridge. I'll make sure Dr. Ratha returns your call as soon as possible._"

. . .

I was back in SHIELD's lab, somehow getting stuck with a trio of scientists and engineers.

We were all wondering how Cross-Species genetics worked into SHIELD's technology, and why Fury had suddenly gotten so interested in Connor's research. Fitz was actually the first to point it out, and Simmons soon joined in on his research.

"Sounds to me like Connors is using the research on himself," I suggested as we observed the footage taken from a security camera.

Apparently Fury had sent an agent in to spy on Connors' research. The security footage they got was impressive. At one point Peter had even stopped by to help Connors with his work. I wasn't sure what to make of that when the footage showed them successfully recreating a limb for a three-legged mouse.

"But the serum isn't even close to ready for human trials," Fitz pointed out after writing down several notes from observing the videos.

"Basically Connors is a crazy bag full of cats," Jimmy put in. The two of them looked at him oddly, but I understood what he meant by that. Bruce had said the same thing about Loki, and he had been right the entire time.

"Let's just back up for a few seconds and think this over," I said after rewinding the video a few seconds back. "What if the serum was actually successful and did supposedly create a new body part? What happens if one can't control it?"

Fitz gave me an odd look, realizing that what I said made sense. He glanced over at Simmons who only shrugged.

If one did lose control the results could be disastrous. I remembered seeing the mouse they tested on changing in a matter of hours. It wasn't a very clear image but it scared the crap out of me when I saw it eating the other mouse.

"I think we should try creating an anti-serum," Jimmy finally murmured, realizing the point I had. "Who knows what that stuff could do to your mind?"

"Very well... that shouldn't be too difficult," Simmons replied. "It could take a few days though to replicate the serum."

"I don't think that will be a problem," I replied.

At least I hoped that wasn't the case. If Connors was getting desperate than he would use the serum on himself, and that could be bad.

"We're getting reassigned to a new team," Fitz suddenly announced as the monitors went blank. That caused me to look at them in surprise. Fitz-Simmons exchanged a knowing look, as if this was something they had been anticipating.

"When did this happen?" Jimmy asked carefully.

"We just received word from Director Fury yesterday," Simmons explained. She looked ecstatic with the idea. I couldn't blame her. I'm sure that being reassigned to a new team was something every agent wanted to hear.

"Apparently we're being transferred to the BUS in a few weeks," Fits added. "And to a specialized team nonetheless."

I couldn't help but wonder what they meant by that. Specialized could mean just about anything. But I had a feeling it had to do with the Avengers, or somewhere along the lines of something similar. Either way I felt happy for them.

"Agent Stark, report to the bridge immediately." We all looked up when the voice sounded over the com. Glancing back at the others, I could only imagine what sort of trouble I was in this time.

This should be fun.

. . .

"_Well, that was something."_

_"I'm sorry. I thought he was gonna arrest me at one point."_

_"Nah, I wouldn't have let him arrest you."_

_"What happened to your face?"_

_"I wanna tell you something."_

_"Oh! Okay."_

_"I've been bitten."_

_"So have I."_

_"Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay. I gotta tell you this one thing. I gotta tell you this one thing. It's about the vigilante and the car thief, alright?"_

_"Oh! Okay."_

_"No! No! I don't wanna talk about your dad, I wanna talk about me. Okay?"_

_"What about you?"_

_"I...I wish I could just...I can't! It's hard to say."_

_"Just say."_

_"No, no."_

_"Say it... What. What? Oh, I am in trouble._"

. . .

"There's been an attack on the Williamsburg Bridge," Fury's report rang in my ears as the helicopter made a landing nearby the bridge. "We don't know who or what's attacking the bridge, but we're sending in backup for the police."

And lucky me, I was chosen to be part of the single-person fighting squad. Dad was going to kill Fury when he found out. To make matters worse Jimmy was the one piloting the copter, so he would be back later on. I could already see things going from bad to worse as cars were thrown aside like they were nothing.

Well, I guess it was time to see if the training SHIELD had given me worked. Otherwise this was going to end badly, for all of us.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for the shorter chapter, but it had to happen. At least the plot is finally moving along, and we got to see more Fitz-Simmons :) Couldn't resist including them, especially since they will be playing bigger rolls in future chapters. So big thanks to Spinosa for being my ONLY reviewer, you get a virtual cookie ;) And please let me know what you thought of this one!**


	48. Attack On Williamsburg Bridge

**Chapter Forty Eight**

* * *

_"There's a wreckage, there's a fire, There's a weakness in my love There's a hunger I can't control, Lord, I falter and I fall down Then I hold on to chains You broke, When You came and saved my soul. Save my soul..." The Struggle, Tenth Avenue North_

* * *

People were running away from the scene as I continued running forward. The scene was in chaos; cars were thrown in different directions and fire could clearly be seen from a distance. Car alarms sounded soon after I finally reached the bridge.

I decided to take the initiative and jumped onto the nearest car to get a better view of my surroundings. If Connors had used the serum on himself, than it was likely he had turned into a reptile of some sort. The thought made my stomach twist in disgust. I wondered if he knew what he was getting himself into. Sure enough as a flame formed around my hand, I could make out the frame of something large and scaly.

"Well, this just got more interesting," I muttered as I shot a piece of rock towards the creature. The rock hit it square in the shoulders; the shockwave of the impact made it turn around to face me. Dad was going to kill Fury for sending me here alone. With one swift movement it was already charging after me as I held my ground. "I assume you're what used to be Doctor Connors?" The giant Lizard only roared at me in response.

Yep, I'm definitely calling this thing the Lizard. Seemed like a fitting name. Out of instinct I picked up a chunk of pavement and threw it right into the Lizard's nose, giving me enough time to flee before it got any closer. Once I was far enough away I could see that the Lizard was searching for something, or for someone, in the cars parked on the bridge.

Suddenly more cars were flown in my direction, only to be stopped by a large web. It took me a few seconds to recognize the smell that came from the webbing, and the person using them. A few more cars were tossed in the air, but they were stopped as well by webbing. Looks like Peter finally decided to show up.

"You need to leave, now!" Peter's shout came from above. I looked up to see him hanging from a wire holding up the bridge, dressed in a red and blue suit with a spider print on either side. "This is definitely not your fight," he added as he pulled up another car, keeping it from falling on a running civilian.

Half of me was tempted to shout back that this was what I had been trained for. But I held back and only glared in response. There was no way in hell I'd miss this fight, even if Peter decided to try and stop me. He couldn't even if he wanted to.

"Help! Somebody help! My kid is trapped!" The cry of a man caught our attention. I glanced over at Peter and back at the Lizard, who by now was rampaging towards the cars struggling to get away.

What were we to do now? Go after the Lizard or help the kid? Suddenly an idea struck me just before it was too late.

"Jimmy, you can see the Lizard, right?" I asked over the earpiece as I followed Peter effortlessly. The helicopter was hovering nearby, keeping an eye on the scene. Surely Jimmy would have seen the Lizard by now. His eyesight wasn't nearly as good as Hawkeye's, but it was good enough for me.

"Yep, I'm on his tail, literally." I rolled my eyes at the joke as the helicopter started giving chase. "Sorry, bad joke," he added.

"No kidding," I muttered crossly. "Just don't let him get away, we've got something else to take care of." I turned my earpiece off before Jimmy could ask what I meant by 'we'. I'll explain later, when he isn't chasing down the Lizard.

Peter was already at the scene when I took the chance to climb down the cables holding the car. I could already imagine how grounded I would be when dad found out about this little escapade. At this point I didn't care as I landed on the hood of the car. The kid's crying had turned to a terrified scream as I broke the window to get in.

"Hey, it's alright," I murmured in a soothing tone. The fear in his eyes disappeared when he recognized me. "I'm here to help you."

Carefully I climbed in so that I was sitting behind him on the driver's side and smiled at the little boy. Deep down I was terrified myself. This was a stupid move, and I was risking everything by saving a single person. But that was on my job description so... here goes nothing.

"So, do you have a name?" I asked while looking up to see that Peter had joined us from outside. I had a feeling he was annoyed with the actions I'd taken, but at this point I didn't care. Looking around I noticed a bag that had his name sewed on to it. "Okay Jack, you're going to need to stay calm while I get you out of here."

I leaned forward and began fumbling around with the seat belt, realizing that it was stuck. As I started undoing the seat belt a loud ping sound followed, and in a matter of seconds the car started plummeting again. I looked up just in time to see that Peter was holding on to the cable.

"You might wanna hurry up," Peter said; through gritted teeth I could imagine. The kid started to panic again when he saw Peter holding on to the cable. Carefully I unclipped his seat belt while he was panicking, than put a hand on his shoulder for good measure.

"It's okay, he's a friend," I reassured him. "He's here to help-" I didn't get a chance to finish. At the last minute Peter had dropped the cable, shouting something I couldn't hear. Without warning I held on to the kid, wrapping my arms around him before he could fight me off. "You're gonna have to trust me Jack, my friend's going to catch you," I promised, hoping I was right.

Before Jack could make sense of what I was saying, I threw him out of the car. It felt like time had slowed down until a web caught Jack, keeping him from falling into the river below us. In the split second that Peter had caught Jack, I used my power to tug at the water down below. Instead of making a huge splash like cars normally did, the waves caught the car before I could sink into the murky darkness below.

My heart was racing with panic when I realized that the windows were filling up fast with water, and I was still stuck inside the car. I imagined Peter was facepalming now when he saw what I was doing. With a deep breath I managed to call up the water, using it to keep me from drowning.

It didn't take long for the water to reach the bridge. By the time it did a crowd had gathered to see what was going on. Relief washed over me the moment my feet touched the ground, but it didn't last long when I saw the large crowd.

"Ada, you okay?" I jumped when I realized that Peter was standing beside me. I didn't say anything; my gaze flickered across the crowd warily. Something wasn't right. I was used to dealing with large crowds, especially after spending so long with dad. But this was different. The feeling that someone was watching for me to make one wrong move suddenly became overwhelming. "Ada!" I blinked in surprise to see a hand waving over my eyes. "You okay in there?"

"Yeah... I'm fine," I muttered before walking past him, avoiding the piercing looks the crowd was giving me. Something told me that there was a reason behind that uneasy feeling. And I knew it wasn't just instinct that had told me. One of onlookers had been there for a reason. And I wanted to know why.

. . .

"_At approximately 9 p.m. last night an incident took place on the Williamsburg Bridge. Much of what occurred is really speculation at this point. However, several eye witnesses to the crime as well as our own preliminary finding, have positively placed one individual at the scene, which is why this morning I'm issuing an arrest warrant for the masked vigilante, known as Spider-Man._"

. . .

"Of all the stupid things to have done in the past few months!" I forced back a groan when dad shouted over the video chat. "You are grounded. So grounded until the end of time!" It didn't help that I had Peter sitting not far away, laughing his ass off. "And don't even think that I'm letting Jarvis let you leave that building. It's on lock down now." I rolled my eyes when dad said that, grinning back at Peter when he stared at the screen in surprise.

"Love you too dad," I murmured. "Look, it was nothing really-" Dad only cut me off with a glare.

"That cut doesn't look like nothing," he pointed out to the cut I had received during my fight on the bridge.

"You do realize that I have the ability to heal myself?" I reminded him. Dad only pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. He knew damn well that I'd just do something like that again if I had to. Though truthfully I was in no hurry to nearly get drowned again. That in itself was terrifying.

"We'll discuss this when I get back," dad retorted. "And tell that kid who's with you to leave; no visitors allowed." Peter stopped laughing when he realized that dad had noticed. Once the screen went black I held back a sigh of my own frustration.

I glanced back at the cut on my arm. I hadn't even noticed it until I got back from the battle. Peter had followed me shortly after when Jimmy announced that the Lizard had gotten away. At first Peter had been shocked by the sight of Stark Tower, but he soon got over it.

"You can heal yourself?" Peter asked. His eyes widened in disbelief when I touched the cut. A golden light soon appeared, and moments later the cut was healed. It did sting a little, but the pain soon faded.

"There's a lot about me that you don't know," I replied quietly. I glanced out the window towards the never ending traffic down below.

"Apparently," he said with a sheepish grin. "So you can control water huh?"

"Yes, among various other elements," I explained.

Soon I showed him that I could create fire in the palm of my hand, along with controlling the air around us. I didn't show him that I could control the Earth itself. Somehow I had a feeling that idea would terrify him.

"Back on the bridge after the battle... what happened? You were acting different back there." I looked down at the floor warily.

Should I tell him the truth? I couldn't help but wonder how Peter would react if I told him what I really was. He might see me as some kind of monster. I could at least tell him about the Black Knights. Considering how long they've been around he might even know about them.

Eventually I decided to tell him about them. It couldn't hurt to warn him that they might attack at any time. Peter's eyes widened in disbelief as I explained what they did and why they had formed. I left out the fact that they were the reason behind my kind's disappearance. He was in enough shock for one night.

"All I know is someone in the crowd was working for them," I explained as I sat on the bed. "I have no idea when they'll strike next... it's kind of unnerving not knowing."

"Wow." It was all Peter could say, and I was feeling a bit embarrassed when he looked at me in shock. "So, are you saying that you're an alien of some kind?"

"That's what we've been thinking," I replied with a shrug. "All I know is that my mother gave me up when I was just a baby. And we don't know much about my people."

"It's weird though... you look like a normal human," he admitted sheepishly.

"We've been trying to figure that one out too. It is strange when you think about it."

For the next few minutes we started talking. Whether or not it was about me or the fight on the bridge and the Lizard as we now appropriately called it. Peter was already making plans on tracking the Lizard on his own. For a moment I was tempted to stop him when I realized he would only do what I did. Peter was about as stubborn as I could be.

"I should probably get going," Peter sighed as he was about to put back on his mask. I noticed a small cut on his forehead, and suddenly an idea came to me.

"Can I try something first?" I asked. Peter looked at me in surprise before nodding. I remembered what that woman had done with Nadia when she was injured. She was able to heal others beside herself. Which meant it was possible I could do the same thing. Better to try it on a friend than a complete stranger.

Peter stiffened when I placed my hand on his forehead where the cut was. I took a deep breath before concentrating on my healing abilities. The seconds dragged on until suddenly a golden light appeared around the cut. Moments later and it was healed, much to my surprise and relief.

"Wow... who knew we had a doctor in the building?" he asked in a joking tone.

"Now you know where to go if you ever need one," I replied with a grin.

Though I had to admit that it left me feeling exhausted. I wondered if that was a side-effect to the healing powers. The strange thing was it didn't effect me if I was healing myself. Maybe I should ask Nadia sometime whether or not my theory was true.

With one last goodbye Peter was swinging out of the building. Once he was gone I put back on the security protocols, telling Jarvis that everything was fine. Dad probably would hate me if he knew what I was getting myself into. But considering I was already grounded for an eternity, I felt like things couldn't get any worse.

. . .

"_It's so beautiful."_

_"But it's got a bite though!"_

_"Who else knows about this?"_

_"Just..."_

_"Me?"_

_"Yeah and um... Ada Stark."_

_"Oh..."_

_"You don't...you don't believe what the police are saying, do you?"_

_"Of course not. Does it scare you, what you can do?"_

_"No, no."_

_"What did that thing on the bridge look like?"_

_"Real big. Too big to be human."_

_"You gotta lay low."_

_"No, can't do that."_

_"But you've got to. I mean, why?"_

_"Cause of last night. Those people on the bridge, whatever is attacking them, when it killed them. So I gotta...I gotta go after it."_

_"But that's not your job."_

_"Maybe it is. I really liked kissing you. You're an amazing kisser."_

_"Well, you know, it was...it was good for me too."_

_"Yeah?"_

_"Mmhmm._"

* * *

**AN: Thanks again Spinosa for reviewing! And for reviewing every chapter as well! I really do appreciate it! :D**


	49. Alone Time

**Chapter Forty Nine**

* * *

_"I'm living for a time of change, I'm living for what there is to gain With nothing standing in my way, I will never go astray..." We Belong As One, Capital Kings_

* * *

"_It's not nice to snoop. I gave everyone the week off."_

_"Yeah."_

_"Shouldn't you be at school?"_

_"No, I got a...I got a free track. I wanted...I wanted to ask you a question. How would a predator track a reptile?"_

_"Oh, they don't. Most reptiles are at the top of their respective food chain, kings of their domain."_

_"But they gotta have vulnerabilities, right?"_

_"Why the sudden interest in the cold blooded?"_

_"Just asking a question. I got...I got...I got school stuff, biology profiles to do. So, because of the cold blood, would they react to sudden changes in temperature?"_

_"You'd have to catch one first._"

. . .

"_Mr. Parker, why are you not in school?"_

_"Got a free track."_

_"Okay. Well I do not have a free track, so make your point quickly."_

_"Okay, fine. There may not be a dinosaur running around Manhattan, but there is something more dangerous, and I know who it is."_

_"You know who it is?"_

_"Dr. Curtis Connors, he's a biochemist..."_

_"Of OsCorp?"_

_"That's right."_

_"Okay. Dr. Curtis Connors who's also my daughters mentor. Is that who you're talking about?"_

_"That's the one."_

_"You know, recently Dr. Connors gave Gwen a glowing college recommendation. It was beautiful, when I read it I cried. But you would have me believe that in his spare time he's running around dressed up like a giant dinosaur."_

_"Not dressing up and not a dinosaur. He has transformed himself into a giant lizard."_

_"Let me ask you a question. Do I look like the mayor of Tokyo to you?"_

_"I'm telling you the...I'm telling you the absolute truth. This man has worked for his whole life on cross-species genetics. He lost one arm and has been trying to grow it back, but there is something imbalanced by the equation and he has turned into a full lizard. He's using lizard DNA. He is dangerous! And he's planning something horrific. I know! I know!"_

_"Okay. Alright. I get it. Here's what we're gonna do. You're gonna go back to hanging out with the citizens of Tokyo, and I'm gonna go back to protecting the citizens of this fine and fair city of ours. Sergeant Butler, would you please escort Mr. Parker back to school."_

_"Captain Stacy, I'm not...I'm not messing around. Just bring him in, just call him in! You have to call him in! He is a danger to everybody! Just, please, listen to me!"_

_"Jimmy, give me everything we have on Dr. Curtis Connors. Okay? Right away._"

. . .

It was late at night, and the tower was on lock down for dad's sake. He'd be peeved if I had anyone inside while he was away. Considering I was already supposed to be grounded, it was better this way.

So until dad got back from his business trip I was stuck filling out paperwork for SHIELD or chatting with Fitz-Simmons over the phone. They had finally created an anti-serum for the effects caused by Connor's research. But right now it was under the final stages before they could put it to use.

"Stark's got you on lock down again?" I didn't even flinch when I recognized Clint's voice. I held back a smirk as I threw a blast of wind towards the air vent, not even looking up to watch as he fell down. "Not cool kid, not cool," he muttered after getting to his feet.

"Breaking into the tower isn't 'cool'," I replied with a simple wave of my hand. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"Boss wanted to make sure you weren't getting into any trouble," he said with a shrug.

Something told me there was more to it than that. But I didn't bother arguing, at least not this time.

"Dad's going to kill you when he finds out about this," I muttered under my breath.

"He'd have to catch me first." I hid back a knowing smirk as I finished putting the paperwork together.

Either way it was good to have some company. With Peter gone for half the day and night, I was getting lonely here by myself. I even resorted to having an argument with Jarvis at one point. Which of course would have been hilarious had it been someone else. I wasn't in any hurry to chat with Nadia through my mind, and I was sure that she was still angry with me for my policy.

"So I heard about your adventure on the bridge the other night," Clint began as we headed for the bar. I passed him a glass of whiskey before making tea for myself.

"Did Jimmy tell you how badly it ended?" I looked down at the floor, remembering the dread I had felt when I got back to land.

"Actually he said you did pretty good up until the incident with the car," he replied.

"Oh, yeah... that..." Embarrassment washed over me as I walked over to the stool beside him.

That feeling that someone had been watching me kept coming back to haunt me. I'm not even sure what to expect when I got that feeling. Peter had mentioned his new powers giving him some kind of spider-like reflexes; it was like a warning signal sent to his brain. I had to wonder my powers somehow gave me those same senses. It was possible that they warned me of dangers like the Black Knights.

"I'd rather not talk about it," I admitted. "Dad's already pissed off enough with me for doing that."

"You mean risking your life to save a kid?" Clint's question caught me off guard, and for a moment I was tempted to say that had failed miserably. But something held me back, and I only stared into my tea before taking a sip.

"I think it's a bit more complicated than that," I muttered crossly. "Someone else was part of that crowd." Clint rose an eyebrow in surprise, realizing what I meant by that. "I didn't recognize any faces, but it was just a feeling that I got... that someone was watching me."

And it wasn't the same feeling I got when dad had the surveillance cameras on. Or when SHIELD was watching my every move.

"If there's one thing I've learned from going on so many missions, it's to trust your instincts."

Well, that made sense. So far my instincts have gotten me this far. And of course I did have the guidance of SHIELD to back me up. But it was nice to know that so far my instincts haven't betrayed me. Hopefully that would last when I finally did have the courage to face the Black Knights.

. . .

"_Subject; Dr. Curtis Connors. Current temperature; eighty nine point seven, steady for forty eight hours. Blood panels reveal lymphocyte and monocyte readings consistent with subject's past. Clotting rate vastly improved, marked enhancement in...in muscle response, strength and elasticity. Eye sight similarly improved. Subject no longer requires corrective lenses. This is no longer about curing ills. This is about finding perfection. In attempt to regress regenerative relapse, dosage has been increased to two hundred milligrams._"

. . .

"_You stopped me once. You won't stop me again! I'm getting stronger everyday!"_

_"Oh, that sucked!"_

_"Peter Parker!_"

. . .

"So this is 'keeping an eye on me'," I muttered as Clint made himself at home on the sofa. He was currently surfing through the channels, trying to find something interesting.

"Just tell Fury I was very observant," he called over his shoulder.

With a roll of my eyes I decided to ignore the comment and popped in a movie. If dad was going to chew anyone out it should be Fury for not trusting me. Though something told me Clint would've done this no matter the orders given to him.

I had to admit it was nice having company right now. Considering my life had gotten pretty lonely since Peter was off hunting the Lizard and everyone else was busy, I really did feel left out. As the movie rolled on (we finally decided to put on Kung Fu Panda, not one of my favorite choices, though it was cute), I noticed that someone was knocking on the window.

"Can I come in?" My heart nearly skipped a beat when I recognized Peter's voice. Glancing back at Clint, I held back a sigh of frustration.

"Better go and hide now, before this gets ugly," I muttered under my breath.

"Before what gets ugly?" Before Clint could say anything else I shoved him into a closet. Which wasn't the easiest task to do, considering he was a fully trained assassin. But once he was gone I let Peter in, only to get the shock of my life.

"What the hell happened to you?" I demanded as I let him in. There was a nasty looking gash on his stomach, and the suit he'd worked on so hard was now ripped in several areas. Then I remembered what Peter had been up to lately. "You went after the Lizard, didn't you?"

"More like the Lizard went after me," he grumbled.

Than he groaned in pain as I led him to the sofa. I didn't miss the stench of sewer coming from his suit, and it made my stomach twist in disgust.

"You need to take your costume off." Almost at once I could feel heat rising to my cheeks when I said that. I'm pretty sure I heard Clint laughing his ass off in the closet.

I may be able to heal wounds, but I needed to see how deep it was first. The last time I healed a nasty cut was when Loki had been injured (not counting the time I tried it on Peter as well), and it had taken a lot of energy.

"W-what?" he stammered, clearly shocked by the order.

"Costume, off," I repeated myself. "Otherwise I won't be able to see whether or not it can be healed."

"Oh, right... sorry."

I had to blush when he took the costume off, revealing well-toned muscles. After spending so long with SHIELD I've gotten used to seeing muscular guys. But Peter was a friend, and somehow this felt different.

With a deep breath I leaned forward and concentrated on my healing power. The wound wasn't too deep, much to my relief. In a matter of seconds my hands began to glow, along with the wound itself. Another few seconds passed and the wound was healed.

Once the wound was healed I took a step back and avoided the look Peter was giving me. The silence was a bit unnerving since I had turned off the TV. Knowing Clint he was either reporting this to Fury or telling dad about it. Either way I was in deep enough trouble. I could really use a break at the moment.

"Thank you," he murmured when he put the suit back on. "You know it stings a little when it starts to heal," he added sheepishly.

"Well I could always just leave you here bleeding out," I snapped. Of course I could never do that. I wasn't that type of person, and Peter knew that.

"Sorry," he apologized once again. "But really, thank you."

"No problem," I replied with a shrug. "So, what exactly happened? The Lizard do this to you?"

Peter let out a sigh and leaned his head against the couch. There was no way I could get that sewer smell out, at least not before dad got home. Looks like I'd be going shopping for furniture tomorrow.

"I was trying to find him before things got out of hand," he explained. "And maybe take some pictures for proof." That caught my attention.

"Who needs proof?"

"Captain Stacey," he muttered crossly. "They thought I was going crazy."

That explained his need to take a photo. I could understand why he was so frustrated. It reminded me of the time when I was trying to prove that Bruce was not the enemy to General Ross. Of course that all failed miserably, until the Hulk beat the crap out of the Abomination.

"But we both saw the Lizard with our own eyes," I pointed out. "What if I went with you and backed you up?"

"As appealing as the idea sounds, I doubt he'd believe either of us." Peter shook his head and straightened up. "This is something I need to do on my own. The Lizard is putting everyone's lives in danger, and I feel responsible for it."

I was ready to argue with him, pointing out that he didn't need to do this alone. But something stopped me from saying it out loud. I had a feeling no matter what Peter would still go after the Lizard, even if it meant risking his life.

"Peter wait," I stopped him before he was ready to leave once again. He looked at me. I couldn't tell what he was thinking through the mask, which only made me roll my eyes. "Just be careful out there," I warned him.

"I will be," he reassured me. With that being said and done, he jumped out of the building and started swinging away.

"Next time you lock me in a closet, make sure you at least give me something to do," Clint muttered as I let him out. "So was that your boyfriend?" I shot him a cold look before shaking my head in annoyance.

"Of course not... he was just a friend," I said quietly.

That was all Peter ever would be to me. Just a friend and nothing else. Because in all honesty, we would be putting each others' lives at risks. And that was the last thing I wanted to do.

* * *

**AN: Hooray for chapter updates! So this story will probably not be updated for over a week starting tomorrow. I apologize for the delay but it is necessary for me. And thank you elethwen of lothlorien, Agent.S, Spinosa and danny1114 for reviewing! You guys are awesome :D**


	50. The Lizard Strikes Back

**Chapter Fifty**

* * *

_"Sometimes the devil allows people to live a life free of trouble because he doesn't want them turning to God. Their sin is like a jail cell, except it is all nice and comfy and there doesn't seem to be any reason to leave. The door's wide open. Till one day, time runs out, and the cell door slams shut, and suddenly it's too late..." Mina's Mother, God's Not Dead_

* * *

_"Peter Parker. Spider-Man! I'm not the one who needs help! There will be no more loneliness, no more outcasts. Species wide distribution could enhance humanity on an evolutionary scale. One has to adapt to survive. Without changing likeness I might be free to cast off flesh wherein I dwell confide. Would you give it all up, after all you know you can do? I can save them! You're not gonna get in the way of my plan, Peter Parker!"_

_. . ._

"The serum is officially complete!"

"Which one?"

Simmons rolled her eyes as Fitz looked at her jokingly. I was leaning against a wheely chair as I waited. Frankly I'm not even sure why Fury had asked me to join him along with a few other agents here on this fine early morning.

Apparently news on Peter's escapade with the Lizard had gotten out to SHIELD. The Lizard was becoming a problem that SHIELD needed to take care of. But something told me Peter would not thank us for interfering.

"So does that mean Lizard-man goes back to normal?" I asked as I stood up and dusted my pants. I had on a normal SHIELD uniform that was similar to Natasha's. Mine was a dark shade of blue with black leggings at the end.

"If my theory is correct, he should revert to his human appearance," Simmons replied. I noticed the doubt in her eyes and tilted my head to one side. "But there's a possibility that the serum could turn him into an even more dangerous creature," she added.

Okay, that was a bit uncalled for. Simmons was brilliant when it came to finding the cure to conditions like Doctor Connor's. With Fitz at her side the possibilities were endless.

"I'm sure the serum works just fine," I reassured her. "Have you tested it?"

Simmons exchanged a look with Fitz before shrugging. "Most of the tests were successful," Fitz explained. I raised an eyebrow when he said 'most'. "One or two turned out a bit more... differently."

I didn't want to know what he meant by that. As long as the serum was working, that was fine by me. The Lizard could be stopped if we worked quickly. I just needed to convince Peter that he could use some help.

"Agent Stark, FitzSimmons." The three of us straightened up immediately as a familiar voice sounded from the com. "Report to the bridge immediately."

The order was loud and clear, meaning fun time was over. Of course work at SHIELD was never intended to be fun. But it helped having good friends during the darker times.

The three of us made our way towards the bridge. We were on the Hellicarrier; the large craft was floating above the city, concealed by the clouds. I think I've spent more time on the Hellicarrier than any other SHIELD headquarters. I knew the main headquarters was in Washington D.C., and soon enough I would be transferred there when I was old enough.

Just thinking about that made me anxious. SHIELD had already prepared all of the paperwork; in a way it was almost like getting a promotion. Without the benefits of getting an extra paycheck. Fury had already made arrangements that Steve would become my neighbor.

"We've located the Lizard's latest location, thanks to the tracking device we've implanted on Parker's camera," Fury explained when we reached the bridge.

"Well that's helpful," I muttered after folding my arms. "Problem is as soon as we reach the location he'll be gone."

"Not if we get there first," Clint pointed out.

I'd almost forgotten that he was back from 'keeping an eye on me'. Whatever mission that had been ended miserably.

"Which is why I'm sending agents Barton and Stark to the school," Fury replied. "Midtown Science High isn't far from where we are, it will be a simple drop down and extraction point, if all goes according to plan."

Which almost never works. With the luck we had the Lizard would get away again, or cause even more damage.

"This should be fun," Clint said with a roll of his eyes.

"Just try and keep up," I snapped.

. . .

"_No where to hide, Peter. All these souls, lost and alone, I can save them! I can cure them! There's no need to stop me, Peter!"_

_"You're not thinkin' straight, doc! Stop this! This isn't you! Let's talk this out!_"

. . .

The quinjet landed not too far from our location. People were already running to and from the building in different directions. To me they looked like headless chickens running around blindly. But I could see some sense in their behavior. They were mostly teachers and students from what I gathered. Inside the building I imagined it was a mess, with the Lizard charging after anything that moved.

Clint had his bow arrow ready as we ran down the school yard, passing several students in the process. A few of them gave us panicked looks, but for the most part they ran on. To us this was just business as usual. To these poor students and teachers, this was something they likely never experienced, unless they were around during the Chitauri attack.

"Any idea what we're looking for?" Clint asked as we reached the steps leading to the school.

"Something big and scaly," I replied with the slightest of smirks. Clint only rolled his eyes once more before leading the way inside.

Well this was one way to end your school day. A giant Lizard attacking the school wasn't exactly something I had in mind when it came to skipping school. Since I didn't have normal high school classes I guess I could never understand what that was like. I was lucky enough to graduate early, just like dad had.

In the end we followed the trail of destruction that was left behind by the Lizard. So far I've seen lockers that were torn apart or doorways and lights that were smashed. The Lizard was on a rampage, and I had a feeling it was only going to get worse.

"Looks like the Lizard's been busy," Clint remarked when we spotted what looked like claw marks etched in the floor.

Jokes aside I knew that this was about to get dangerous. Thankfully reptiles didn't like getting overheated. Having the ability to control fire did come in handy during times like this. It didn't take us long to find something that made my stomach twist in disgust.

The tale of the Lizard was laying just two feet away from where we were standing.

"One thing I hate about reptiles: They can regenerate body parts," I muttered crossly after trying to push the image aside.

The Lizard himself was trapped on a wall by webbing. He was ready to free himself when he stopped short and spotted us. His yellow eyes narrowed at first, than widened in what I assumed was recognition. He probably remembered me from the fight on the bridge.

"I'm gonna throw you out of the window now." Peter's voice drew our attention. I whipped around just in time to see him holding on to Gwen, like his life depended on it. Her expression was one of confusion that quickly turned to terror. Then she noticed us standing behind them, Clint folded his arms and looked quite smug as Peter stared at us in alarm.

Peter was dressed in his Spiderman suit, which made things all the more complicated. At least Clint knew that Spiderman wasn't a threat, as far as I was concerned.

"Ada?" Gwen nearly shouted.

"What are you doing here? Am I under arrest?" Peter's question made us exchange an amused look.

Before either of us could respond, he broke the window to a trophy case and grabbed Gwen. She was too startled to respond as he threw a webbing to catch her, and moments later she landed safely outside, shouting in both shock and terror.

"I'd be more worried about the giant Lizard charging after us," Clint replied as he spotted the Lizard.

Sure enough he was charging after us. Peter shoved us aside and jumped onto the Lizard's head, throwing webbing at him in the process. The Lizard tried desperately to shake him off. To me it looked like a scene from the rodeo, where the bull tried shaking off it's rider with ease.

"You two could do something useful you know!" Peter shouted as he was thrown off.

Without another word I threw a ball of fire towards the Lizard, causing him to roar in fury. Peter was thrown off into another room while the Lizard began charging after us. I dodged out of the way just in time to avoid getting swiped by the Lizard's claw, Clint on the other hand wasn't so lucky. He reeled back just in time to fire an explosive arrow, aiming it at the Lizard's snout and causing it to stop dead in it's tracks.

"Is there any way to move this outside the building? There isn't enough space here for us to maneuver!" I shouted as I swept my leg to trip Connors while he struggled to stand.

"Fury doesn't want us to bring the fight to the public," Clint replied.

Great, that made things much more interesting. Suddenly the Lizard began flinching as bullets were fired at it. To my surprise and disbelief, Natasha was standing behind the Lizard, aiming her stingers at the Lizard. Unfortunately for her, the bullets didn't seem to leave any dents.

"Glad to see you here Nat," Clint murmured after reaching her side. The Lizard was momentarily distracted, giving me enough time to throw another fireball at it.

"Fury thought you could use some help," she explained. "Looks like he was right."

I tried to protect myself with whatever furniture was available for me as the Lizard charged. That wasn't nearly enough though as Connor's swung a heavy claw across the chair I was clinging on to, leaving nasty splinters in the process as the chair was broken in half.

"Well that's just great. I hope you're paying for property damage," I snapped.

Bad timing with the taunts. The Lizard didn't seem to like being part of the jokes, because he chose at that moment to strike once again. This time I was more prepared though. I threw up a shield of fire to block his attack, causing the Lizard to roar in frustration.

I didn't notice at the time that the roof above us was becoming unstable. The Lizard was ready to lunge when Natasha jumped onto it's back and started firing her stingers. Clint used the distraction to fire an arrow that sent shock-waves through the Lizard; Natasha had jumped off just in time to avoid getting zapped. All the while the roof began to crumble a bit more, until suddenly it came crashing down between us.

A split second seemed to pass before I felt someone grabbing me just in time. It took me a few seconds to realize that it was Peter who had grabbed me.

"Thanks!" I gasped after realizing what had happened.

"No problem." Peter looked back at Clint and Natasha, who were now standing on the other side of the debris.

For a moment neither side moved. It was an eerie silence that only lasted for a minute. The Lizard let out an ear-splitting roar that sent shivers down my arms. He wasted no time in charging once again, but this time he was running into a wall. Shortly after the sound of sirens could be heard, and I held back a groan of frustration. Looks like the cops are getting involved after all.

"Uh-oh! Someone's been a bad lizard!" Peter shouted after the Lizard. "You stay here and deal with the cops," he added to me before getting ready to take off.

He did not just say that to me. With a roll of my eyes I ignored the looks Clint and Natasha were giving me. If Peter thought he could order me around, he was dead wrong.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for not updating in like, forever. But like I said, it would take a while. And that fancy little quote up there is one of my personal favorites. Those who choose to believe in God would understand it's meaning. Thanks to danny1114 and Agent.S for reviewing!**


	51. Plan Detected

**Chapter Fifty One**

* * *

_"Tell you a story and it starts with time, Moves to how you live, and learn how to die Another phase in this world that brings death to life, So don't believe in everything you see Because what you want might not be what you need, Hold your breath, jump with me and we'll survive Cause you are the song that leads me to the light..." Tell Me A Story, Phillip Phillips_

* * *

Books were scattered across the floor as we reached the library. Or what was left of it. The Lizard had already made a mess here, and the librarian in charge was completely clueless to the scene unfolding before him. Glancing over my shoulder I noticed he had headphones on, and it was probably a good thing he didn't know what was going on.

The Lizard suddenly swung his hand at me. I ducked just in time and threw a fireball between his shoulders, leaving a nasty looking burn mark. Apparently the Lizard was at a loss for words now as he fought blindly, trying to strike any target he could find. I continued to throw fireballs relentlessly at the Lizard, all the while Natasha and Clint had finally caught up and were now attacking as well. The Lizard let out a roar of frustration, sending chills through me once again.

For what felt like hours the battle raged on until the Lizard fled. The Lizard didn't even look tired as he whipped around, his tail knocking Clint into Natasha in the process. I was really getting tired of this. It seemed like no matter how big of a dent we left, the Lizard never tired nor got injured. There had to be some way to end this battle. Unfortunately once the Lizard took off Peter was quick to follow, and I went after Peter as he started running.

All I had to do now was follow the trail of destruction. The sirens were getting close now, and I was thankful to leave the cops to Clint and Natasha. They dealt with the police better than I ever would. Plus I didn't want to have to explain this one to dad when this was over. I followed the trail towards what I guessed was the bathroom. Peter was holding up what looked like a tethered old lab coat with the word Oscorp sewn onto it.

"So is this why you were at Oscorp?" he asked when I reached his side. He glanced over at me and held the lab coat up. "Did you know this would happen?"

"SHIELD wanted me to keep an eye on Connors' research," I explained warily. "My boss believed his research was getting a bit too out of hand, and it looks like he was right. We need to follow his trail and make sure we stop him for good this time."

Peter eyed me skeptically, and I knew that he wasn't going to leave it at that. But I wasn't going to let him keep up the subject. I pushed past him and walked through the hole in the wall, grimacing at once as a horrible smell attacked my senses once I jumped in. Moments later and I landed in what I hoped was water, because to my surprise it was cleaner than what I was expecting. I walked forward a bit further until Peter joined me shortly after. We walked on in silence. It was oddly refreshing until Peter's phone started ringing, scaring the crap out of me. Five bucks says it's Gwen who's calling him; I was half tempted to take it away.

I allowed a ball of fire to form in my hand as I led the way, lighting up our surroundings. Peter was finished with his phone call when he noticed the fire, his eyes widening slightly until he shook off the surprise.

"Are you a mutant of some kind?" Peter's question made me grimace. After spending some time with the mutants at Xavier's School for the Gifted, mutants were a touchy subject. It's not like we were enemies, but I hated the way people treated them. Especially after hearing the tension from Peter's voice.

"No... I've always had these gifts, but it takes time and concentration to control them. My ancestors were able to do the same thing, but they didn't control the elements like I can."

Now that I thought about it, it was strange that I can control all four elements, and heal myself along with others injuries. From what I gathered the Aliquid could only control one element. Maybe because I was the last of my kind I had somehow gained all of their abilities.

"I'm sorry you got caught up in this mess," Peter sighed in annoyance. "You shouldn't have followed me."

"I think I can take care of myself," I snapped. "Look, I've been training for moments like this most of my life. This is nothing compared to some of the battles I've fought in."

I took in a deep breath and clenched my teeth when I did. Now I knew how Peter felt when he was in the sewer earlier. There was no way Fury would let me live this one down. But this wasn't the time to think about that. My eyes were focused on what lay ahead of us, the flame in my hand flickering wildly as we reached what looked like a large room. I wasn't expecting to find the Lizard right away, but what we did see shocked us both.

Connors' had been busy. Lab equipment was scattered throughout the room, with blueprints and words scribbled on papers taped to the wall. I wondered how the Lizard managed to get all of this junk down here.

Clearly he knew that he would need a separate room for further research. I walked over to the computer and typed in a few codes, easily bypassing the security system. Peter let out a whistle as I rolled my eyes and searched through the files.

"It looks like Connors used the serum on himself," I stated as I found the files we were looking for. "And at first it was successful."

"But it wasn't ready for human trial," Peter pointed out. "Take a look at that file," he added, pointing towards something on the upper right corner of the screen.

I wasted no time in clicking on the link. Moments later and it looked like Connors had made video recordings of himself and his research. Peter and I exchanged looks before we played the video.

"I spent my life as a scientist trying to create a world without weakness, without outcasts. I sought to create a stronger human being, but there's no such thing. Human beings are weak, pathetic, feeble minded creatures. Why be human at all when we can be so much more? Faster, stronger, smarter! This is my gift to you."

This was even worse than I thought. Connors was planning on using the serum on everyone. If he managed to recreate the serum and attack the city, it would be overrun with giant lizards. That in itself made me shudder with dread.

"This is bad... this is really bad," Peter muttered.

"We need to find the Lizard, before he can attack the city," I warned him.

'_This isn't your fight, Ada_.' Nadia's voice made me jump.

'_I'm not letting him fight the Lizard alone_,' I retorted. I hadn't spoken to Nadia in some time. It was strange yet oddly soothing. Peter was watching me curiously as I refused to listen.

"Does your necklace always glow like that?" Peter's voice shook me back to reality. I glanced at him warily before shaking my head.

"No... it's complicated... something you wouldn't understand," I told him.

Peter looked at me with what I assumed was skepticism. I only shook it off and thought back to what Nadia had said. This wasn't my battle. Peter probably could take care of the Lizard on his own. But I couldn't let him do that. It felt like his safety was my responsibility. Like Fury had said, it was my job to keep an eye on him.

. . .

I took a different route than Peter. We were trying to track down the Lizard and find where he might end up next. And so far I've got nothing. Not even a tale or claw marks to go by. But I had a feeling that the Lizard was headed for Oscorp.

My communicator suddenly began beeping, causing me to jump in surprise. I had almost forgotten I had my earpiece on until now. Shortly after a loud bang followed, and I had to keep my voice down as I was greeted by someone all too familiar.

"Ada, what's your location?" Clint sounded more annoyed than usual. Of course that was something I had gotten used to.

"I'm in the sewers, tracking down the Lizard," I explained as I stopped near the entrance of what led to another tunnel.

"What about the Parker kid?"

"We decided to take different directions. We figured we'd have a better chance of cutting the Lizard off."

"From where?"

"Oscorp." I bit the bottom of my lip before explaining further, "Tell Fitz-Simmons to bring the anti-serum, we're going to need it. He's planning on releasing the biological agent he used on himself over the entire city."

. . .

"_The lizard's headed toward Canal Street Station."_

_"What about Spider-Man?"_

_"He's inside the high school."_

_"I want that Spider-Man off the street._"

. . .

My heart was pounding with anxiety as I reached the surface. People were rushing out of the Oscorp building, running like their lives depended on getting away. I started running towards it, avoiding the people trying to get away. They were shooting me anxious looks as I made my way towards the building. They probably thought I was insane for going inside to fight the Lizard. I needed to get to the lab, because that's where Connors would likely be.

After I had met up with Natasha and Clint before reaching Oscorp, they had given me the antidote. So hopefully by the time I got there I could use it on the Lizard, before he used the serum on the city.

The fire alarm rang as I made my way up the stairs and through the long hallways. Thank goodness I was physically fit for this. I would feel exhausted if I hadn't been training.

The alarms continued ringing. A loud smash quickly followed, and the lights began blinking wildly as I reached my destination. It didn't take me long to spot Gwen hiding behind an overturned table. A panicked look flashed in her eyes when she looked at me. I quickly reached forward and stopped her just in case she started screaming. Gwen jumped in shock as I aimed a ball of fire towards the roof, causing more alarms to blare around us. A substance similar to fire extinguishers started blasting at the flames from the roof.

"Gwen, I've got the antidote in my hands," I whispered as I showed her the antidote Fitz-Simmons created. "You need to put it in that machine, I'll distract the Lizard."

Gwen took the vile without arguing. Meanwhile for me the Lizard had finally noticed my presence.

"What do we have here?" Connor's scathing voice made my skin crawl. His eyes landed on me as they widened in recognition. "It must be so lonely, being the last of your kind. I should have let them kill you when I had the chance!"

Almost at once my fists clenched with outrage. Before I knew what was happening I threw a fireball at him, but not without adding a bit more power to it. The angrier I got the more powerful I became. I'd learned that a long time ago.

"You don't know anything about me!" I snapped after dodging his tail. The Lizard saw the move coming and reeled around, charging once again until he gripped my hands with his powerful claws. I tried struggling free of his grip but the Lizard held me down, all the while locking eye contact with me.

"I've learned more about your kind than you realize," he snarled. "You have powers that you do not acknowledge."

I didn't give him a chance to continue. With a powerful kick from my legs, I managed to toss the Lizard off, but not without throwing a fireball right at his snout. The Lizard let out a roar of fury before trying to charge, only to slip on the floor that was covered with the substance from earlier.

"Right, and I'm supposed to believe that," I retorted with a roll of my eyes. I glanced towards the debris covering the floor and thought quickly to use it against the Lizard. He was circling me, waiting for the perfect chance to strike.

"You are the last of the Aliquid, a race that shouldn't exist!" he shouted, swinging a claw at me. This time I aimed a piece of rubble at him, hitting the Lizard square in the chest. He let out a hiss of pain, swinging his tail so that it rammed into me in the process. "Soon you will die along with your ancestors!"

"Not if I can help it!" I couldn't keep up these attacks. Soon I would get exhausted, and all of my energy would be drained. I needed to think of something else to keep the Lizard distracted, long enough for Peter to get here and for Gwen to set up the antidote.

The Lizard saw that I was tiring. He used that to his advantage and started attacking again, this time with more ferocity than ever. Each time I dodged I could feel my body growing weaker. One of his claws had already scored a deep mark on my shoulder, but I still stood. I wasn't going to let the Lizard take that device. Unfortunately the Lizard already knew what I was planning.

"Make one wrong move and I will destroy it!" I shouted as a ball of fire formed in my hands. He made no response, only stared me down. I knew he was waiting for the right move, assessing whether or not I was serious.

"If you destroy the device, than your friend will die as well," the Lizard replied in a low chuckle.

I felt my blood run cold when I realized who he was referring to. Noticing that Gwen was hiding behind a table, I shook my head in annoyance. I'd almost forgotten about her until the Lizard mentioned something.

"Over my dead body!"

"I was hoping you would say that." He lunged once again, but I jumped aside. His tail swung at me and pinned me down once again. I formed what looked like a shield with the debris that was littered around me. Seeing as it was made of some type of Earth, that made things a little easier. Once the Lizard had been pushed off I got back to my feet and tried catching my breath.

My phone just had to start ringing at that moment, and I made the deadly mistake of looking down at it. Of all the times for dad to call, this had to be the worst. The Lizard chose that time to strike, swinging his claws right across my ribs.

For a moment I felt panicked. The pain was immense, like a fire burning inside me. I could taste blood in my mouth, and had forgotten about the wound on my shoulder until now. The pain was a distraction, keeping me from healing myself.

'_Ada, you need to relax_.' Nadia's voice didn't startle me this time. In fact it was an oddly pleasant surprise to hear from her. I decided to take her advice and tried relaxing, focusing on anything but the pain. It didn't take long for Gwen to reach my side once the Lizard was gone. Her panicked expression told me she had watched the entire fight.

"We need to get you to a doctor," she insisted in a shaken voice.

"I'll be fine," I replied, trying to keep my voice from faltering. "I've been through worse."

"What the Lizard said, about you being..." Gwen stopped herself when I glared. "You-You need to get that cleaned up," she finally stammered.

"Look, I've been trained to handle situations like this," I snapped. Gwen raised an eyebrow doubtfully. "Besides, someone has to stop the Lizard."

"I'm sure that Peter's on his way." She got up and out of my view, returning moments later with the antidote in one hand and a towel in the other. "I'm not the one who created the antidote. Please take it, and make sure that Peter doesn't get hurt."

I took the antidote and started cleaning off all the blood. The bleeding had already stopped, much to my relief. I looked down at the floor and realized that I had lost a lot of blood. A pool had gathered where I was lying moments before.

"I'll do my best," I reassured her. "Peter's a good kid, and friend. I'm sure he can handle himself." Gwen looked at me doubtfully once again.

"Are you sure?" Gwen asked and continued when I looked at her questioningly, "be able to take care of yourself, I mean. You took a nasty hit, and you look exhausted."

My teeth ground together as I straightened up, leaning against the counter for support. She was right about one thing. I was exhausted, and I couldn't keep this up forever. I had a feeling my healing power wasn't working so well because of my exhaustion. It took energy to heal a wound. And right now I was already drained enough.

"I'm gonna have to if you want your boyfriend alive and well," I muttered after tossing the towel aside.

"Ada, thank you."

I looked at her in surprise. "What for?" I asked.

"For saving me," she replied. I wasn't sure what to say to that. There wasn't anything to say at that point.

"Just make sure you get out of the building safely," I told her. "If you see a pair of master assassins, tell them I could use some backup." Gwen looked at me in surprise but didn't say anything. I had a feeling she knew who I was referring to.

* * *

**AN: Thank you Spinosa and larnise for reviewing! Sorry for the corny chapter title, couldn't think of anything better ^^"  
**

**larnise - I do tend to do that a lot; I'll have to make sure that I fix that in later chapters. I do plan on rewriting this, just not any time soon. Thanks again for reviewing :)**


	52. Showdown At Oscorp

**Chapter Fifty Two**

* * *

_"I woke up this morning, Saw a world full of trouble now Thought, how'd we ever get so far down, How's it ever gonna turn around So I turned my eyes to Heaven, I thought, "God, why don't You do something?" Well, I just couldn't bear the thought of, People living in poverty Children sold into slavery, The thought disgusted me So, I shook my fist at Heaven, Said, "God, why don't You do something?" He said, "I did, I created you"..." Do Something, Matthew West_

* * *

"Poor, Peter Parker. No mother. No father. No uncle. All alone."

That was cold. Hearing the Lizard's voice from above made my fists clench. But it was reassuring to know that Peter had arrived.

By now my wounds had mostly healed. It seemed that the more stress I was under the longer it took for them to heal. That made sense in a way, as confusing as it was for me. I still only knew a fraction of my abilities.

I nearly let out a scream when I felt a hand grab my own. Glancing over my shoulder I noticed Captain Stacey was standing behind me, a stern look on his face.

"You shouldn't be here," he said in an accusing tone.

"As much as I love listening to you order me around," I began with a roll of my eyes, "I can take care of myself. We have bigger things to worry about." I nodded towards the fight happening between Peter and the Lizard.

From here I couldn't see much, but I could tell that things weren't going well. Peter needed help, much as he would hate to admit it.

Captain Stacey only scowled before shoving his way past me. With another roll of my eyes I followed him, careful not to give away our position. I was in no hurry to become a quick snack for the Lizard. My hand was gripping the antidote with such a force that I was afraid I would break it.

"He's not alone!" Captain Stacey suddenly pulled out his pistol, aiming it at the Lizard as we reached the rooftop. I looked down at the antidote in my hand and thought fast.

"Hey, a gift from Gwen!" I shouted as I tossed the vial towards Peter. Luckily he caught it with ease. I didn't realize his mask was off until he grabbed the vial. "We've got this, Peter. Go!"

Peter eyed us both warily before swinging off towards the machine. But before he could leave the Lizard appeared right in front of Captain Stacey. I didn't have a chance to react as the Lizard swung his claws across Captain Stacey's chest.

"No!" We both shouted at the same time.

The Lizard looked at me with unblinking eyes. Pure rage surged through me. Without warning I threw fireball after fireball at him, aiming directly at his face. Soon after I pulled a piece of cement from the building and smacked it right into the Lizard's forehead, sending him flying in the process.

With the Lizard out of harms way, my attention turned to Captain Stacey. I grabbed hold of him as best as I could and dragged him away from the battle, against a wall, careful not to cause further injury. He already looked pale, and I knew already that he was bleeding internally.

"Hang in there Captain, I'm going to try and heal you," I whispered as I focused on my healing powers. The Captain only eyed me skeptically as I placed my hands on his chest, taking in a deep breath.

Please, please work. I couldn't let someone else die, not on my watch. A golden light suddenly appeared around my hands. But the light didn't last long. I could already feel all of my energy being drained.

'_Ada, there are some wounds that you cannot heal_.' I could already feel tears forming along the edge of my eyes when Nadia said that. '_You must let him go_.

'_No, I can do this_,' I snapped. Determination dragged me on, but the concentration was too much. Someone suddenly pulled my hand away, and I realized that it was Captain Stacey himself.

"Miss, I already know I'm going to die," he rasped.

"I've already seen too many people die." Grief washed over me as I watched him. I may not know him but he was Gwen's father.

"You're with the Avengers," he simply stated, nodding towards the helicopter that was hovering nearby. I hadn't even noticed it until now. Glancing up I realized Clint was flying the helicopter, and Natasha was watching from a safe distance. "Tony Stark's daughter, Ada." The words came out as a whisper, but I heard them loud and clear.

I had to swallow back a fit of tears. Why was this effecting me so much?

With a shaky hand he handed me Peter's mask and placed it in my hand. "Tell Peter that I'm... sorry. The world does need him. But he has to make sure that he keeps those around him safe... please tell him that."

He leaned back, eyes staring blankly ahead. I felt my heart twist with both panic and grief. There was nothing I could do. His wounds were too deep. He died protecting his city, and that was probably what he wanted more than anything.

That was when I started crying. I'm not even sure when it started or who was watching, but at this point I didn't care. I gripped Peter's mask and thought of what Captain Stacey had said.

"I'm so sorry..." I had my face buried in someone's chest, not even realizing that it was Peter's.

"Ada, did he... did he say anything about me?" Peter's voice was just as choked up as mine had been. Glancing up I noticed that he was crying as well. He didn't need me to say anything; he already knew what Captain Stacey had said. "It's about Gwen, isn't it?" When I nodded solemnly Peter looked away.

We stood there together, not knowing what to do next. I hated it.

Why were good people always getting killed? Innocent lives that shouldn't be treated this way were ending every day. And no one was around to stop it. Sure the world now had the Avengers and other heroes, but that didn't stop people from dying.

The helicopter had landed on the roof nearby. It took a few minutes for me to clear my thoughts, realizing if I lost control now the results could be disastrous. I could already feel the ground trembling slightly from the effects of my powers. Luckily Peter hadn't noticed.

"We need to go, now." Natasha's voice broke my thoughts. She turned towards Peter, knowing full well that this was far for over for him. "The police will be here soon, Peter. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us."

He nodded and started to walk away.

Natasha started leading me back to the helicopter; I left without protest this time. I didn't realize that I still had his mask.

. . .

"_An eerie calm has set in over New York city. Apparently some sort of aerosolized antidote was launched from OsCorp Tower, which seems to have counteracted the biotoxins. Residents of lower Manhattan can rest peacefully, knowing that the alleged mastermind of this terror plot, Dr. Curtis Connors is behind bars._"

. . .

"_Sweetheart. It's okay. It's alright. It's alright."_

_"Rough night."_

_"It's gonna be alright._"

. . .

Dad was beyond pissed off. It looked like he was ready to ground me to kingdom come. I'm surprised he hadn't said anything. The silence was unnerving, and his glare told me that he had a few stern words for me once we were off the Hellicarrier.

Simmons had been kind enough to run a checkup on me after I fainted on the helicopter. I wasn't even sure when that had happened. All I remembered was waking up on the Hellicarrier, Simmons on one side of my bed and a furious dad on the other.

"When you tried healing Captain Stacey it took most of your energy," Simmons explained after I told everyone what had happened. "You're lucky to be alive."

"You mean to tell me that she almost died?" Dad's voice made my heart sink even further. I hated being put on the spotlight, and he knew it.

"I'll give you two a moment alone," Simmons suddenly announced, getting uncomfortable in the awkward situation.

I couldn't blame her. I wish I could go with her instead of facing dad's wrath. But here I was stuck in the Hellicarrier, waiting for him to start yelling.

"Ada, do you have any idea how pissed I am with you?" dad asked, glaring down at me with his arms folded.

"You're pissed enough to blow up the Hellicarrier," I simply stated. I didn't care whether or not Fury heard that. It's not like he could do anything worse to me than dad would. Before I knew it dad leaned down and wrapped his fingers around my hand.

"Do you realize how important you are to me, Ada?" I only looked at him in surprise when he asked that. "I... I can't imagine my life without you. You are my daughter, and that isn't going to change anything. I will do everything I can to make sure that you are safe."

This time I didn't know what to say. Dad's words had struck home, and made me realize just how vulnerable I really was. For the second time that night, I felt tears blurring the edge of my vision again. Dad grabbed my hand and squeezed it gently.

"I'm sorry dad... really I am," I murmured, leaning my head against his shoulders. He was sitting on the bed beside me as I straightened up moments ago. "But this is who I am. I'm not just a SHIELD agent or an Avenger. I can't just sit by and watch people get hurt, I have to do something about it, especially when I know it's possible."

Silence passed between us. It was unnerving in a way. What really got me was how true my statement was to me. I hadn't just joined SHIELD because it was the right thing to do. I joined because I felt the need to learn how to defend others. The job was a life-risking business. One day everything could be fine, and the next the world could be in chaos.

"I get that now... I just hate it when you're right," he replied.

I couldn't help but grin in response. Was I being selfish? Possibly. But this was what I wanted, more than anything. I've watched too many people die in my lifetime. I was going to make sure that it didn't happen again.

* * *

**AN: So here's another chapter update, there may be yet another one later today depending on what I do. I'm trying to spend less time on the computer, so we'll see. Maybe I'll get in more ideas for the story ;) Thanks danny1114 for reviewing!**

**danny1114 - Let's just say that she might have slight anger issues at the moment. Her healing powers require a lot of energy, which is why it takes longer to work if she's stressed or tired. And depending on how deep the wound is it could end up killing her, which we've seen in this chapter.**


	53. The Healing Begins

**Chapter Fifty Three**

* * *

_"And I never meant to cause you trouble, And I never meant to do you wrong, And I, well, if I ever caused you trouble, Oh no, I never meant to do you harm..." Trouble, Coldplay_

* * *

"**When the days are cold, And the cards all fold And the saints we see, Are all made of gold...**"

Music blasted out of my earphones as I walked through the cemetery. It was early November, and the air outside was getting colder. Now I had on a sweater and fingerless biker gloves to keep my hands warm.

I hated the silence that came from cemeteries. To me it was a depressing scene. Tall headstones loomed over me, and smaller less spectacular ones surrounded most of the cemetery. I was headed for a newer one that had been placed a few days ago.

"**When your dreams all fail, And the ones we hail Are the worst of all, And the blood's run stale, I wanna hide the truth, I wanna shelter you But with the beast inside, There's nowhere we can hide...**"

Captain Stacey's grave wasn't too far from where Agent Coulson had been 'buried'. Everyone but the Avengers and Director Fury knew that he was dead. I had risked my own life to save his.

Despite knowing that Coulson was alive, I still found the need to visit his grave. I hadn't seen him in months. Apparently Fury had assigned him to a new project. And he was quite happy with his work, supposedly getting a promotion from it.

"**No matter what we breed, We still are made of greed This is my kingdom come, This is my kingdom come When you feel my heat, Look into my eyes It's where my demons hide...**"

I leaned down and placed a fresh bouquet of flowers on Coulson's grave. Earlier I had gone out to get two, one for Coulson and the other for Captain Stacey. Even if I didn't know the guy very well I still felt responsible for his death.

It was strange seeing a grave for someone who wasn't even dead.

Why Fury had decided to go with the theatrics was beyond me. Maybe he didn't want to have to deal with the legal mess that would follow. I wasn't sure if Coulson had family outside of SHIELD. Did they know the truth? They deserved to know he was alive and well.

"Ada?" I flinched when I saw someone standing not too far from where I stood.

Gwen Stacey. She looked just as surprised as I was.

"Hey Gwen, how are you... doing?" I asked when she approached me.

"It's been... tough," she admitted. "Mom's taking it really hard, and my brother he's..." She let out a sigh and looked down at the ground.

"I know what it's like, going through something like that," I murmured sympathetically. Gwen looked at me skeptically, and I was quick to explain, "I lost my mother when I was just a baby. Tony Stark adopted me at the age of six."

Gwen nodded in understanding. The two of us stood there quietly for the next few minutes, not sure what to say to one another. I was content just standing there, but I'm sure Gwen still had a few choice words for me.

"Have you spoken to Peter recently?" Ah, I was wondering when she would ask that.

Honestly I hadn't spoken to Peter since that night on the rooftop. We had been avoiding one another for a good reason. Not only was I supposed to be grounded, but Peter was still angry with me. I wasn't sure what to say, so I decided to be honest for once.

"I don't know," I admitted. "I think he's still angry with me. I haven't seen him since the... you know." I added the last part with a shrug, not wanting to specify what I was talking about. Gwen seemed to understand what I meant by that.

We walked on in silence, until we reached her father's grave. She didn't seem to notice the bouquet of flowers I held on to.

"It's strange, how life can change so quickly," she began when we came to a stop. I glanced over at her before placing the bouquet on top of the grave. "One minute your life is perfect and fine, and the next, it falls into chaos."

My life has never been perfect or normal. I didn't know what it was like to live that kind of life. And frankly I didn't want to know.

"I wish there was more I could've done," I murmured. "For all of them."

For a while we stood there in silence, once again. Finally Gwen turned and looked at me with a smile.

"You did what you could, and that's all that matters," she said in a reassuring tone. "He's in a better place now, watching over me."

I looked up at the sky, wondering if it was true. If there was such a thing as heaven and a God who cared for us all. There was no real proof, and yet no one had any proof that God didn't exist. Dad wasn't a believer, but Pepper had always believed.

"Well, I should probably get going," I announced. I left before Gwen could stop me. If I stayed any longer dad would ground me to infinite, if that was possible. Thankfully I could always turn to SHIELD if worst came to worst.

By the time I was heading out it started to rain. I found with use that the rain was blocked by my powers. It was like having an invisible umbrella of sorts. The one thing I hated about fall was how cold it got when it rained.

Shivering as I made my way towards the gated entrance, I noticed that I was being followed. My powers flared up in an instant until I turned around.

"Peter?" He was holding his hands up in defense when he noticed the small rock hovering by him.

"Uh... please don't shoot me," he stammered after eying the rock warily. With a roll of my eyes I let it fall beside him, causing him to jump. "So what are you doing here?"

Again I rolled my eyes at the stupid question. What else would anyone be doing here? Unless they were grave robbers, in which case I'd be kicking their asses right now.

Peter probably heard everything I said to Gwen. I wasn't sure if I should be annoyed or angry with him for eavesdropping. Right now I was too confused to come up with an answer to that question. I was just thankful to see him again.

"I was visiting Captain Stacey's grave," I replied after folding my arms.

"Ah... I was too," he murmured thoughtfully. "You uh, still have my mask," he added after locking gazes with me.

Embarrassment washed over me when I realized that he was right. I did still have his mask. I had kept it safe after getting back to the hellicarrier all this time. Right now it was in my pocket, and I had almost forgotten about it until now.

"Oh, sorry." Sheepishly I pulled it out and handed it to him.

"You know, we haven't just gotten together as friends in a while," he added warily. "Maybe we can... hang out?"

"Usual place, usual time?"

I was surprised by how much those words made me smile.

. . .

"_Peter, I know things have been difficult lately. And I'm sorry about that. I think I know what you're feeling. Ever since you were a little boy, you've been living with so many unresolved things. Well, take it from old man, those things send us down a road, they make us who we are. And if anyone's destined for greatness, it's you, son. You owe the world your gifts. You just have to figure out how to use them, and know that wherever they take you, we'll always be here. So, come on home, Peter. You're my hero, and I love you._"

For a while we didn't say a thing. The message his uncle had left him was heart wrenching. It was like his uncle had known that something would happen to him that night. No one could have predicted his death, like everyone kept telling me.

"So... that's the message your uncle left," I stated in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Yeah." Peter took a sip of his frozen coffee, his expression difficult to read as he put away his phone. "So how's Gwen been doing?" His question caught me by surprise. I was expecting him to talk more about his uncle.

I shrugged and leaned against the back of my chair. "She's feeling pretty crappy right now," I explained, remembering the way she had acted at the cemetery.

Though she had acted strong in the end I could see she was suffering. Peter must have been avoiding her since the Lizard's attack. I couldn't imagine what that must be like. Then I remembered what had happened with Emmet.

My fists clenched at the thought of him. I wanted to say that I was over him. But every time I did his name kept haunting me. I could have killed him. And I had no regrets in doing so.

"Ada?" Peter's voice brought me back to reality. "Something wrong?"

"What? Oh, nothing's wrong," I lied, shaking my head. Peter only raised an eyebrow and looked at me skeptically. "Okay, it's not fine," I muttered crossly. "Would you think it's bad to want to hurt someone?" My question seemed to take him by surprise.

Out of all the people I've met, Peter was the only one I felt I could openly discuss things with. Such as how I was really feeling or telling him the complete truth. Every now and than I would lie, for his own safety, but not often.

"I guess it depends on what you mean by that," he replied with a shrug. "Why would you wanna hurt someone?"

I looked down at my tea, thinking of the way Emmet had treated me that day. All I could think of was the fear and hurt I had felt afterwords. Should I tell Peter about the Black Knights? I'm not sure if that was a good idea.

"Let's just say they did something really bad... and leave it at that," I explained.

"It's about what happened to your people, isn't it?" Now it was my turn to look surprised. Peter only shrugged again and took another sip of his frappuccino.

"We can't talk about that in public," I murmured.

"Alright, than we won't." We sat there in silence, not sure what to say next. Finally Peter had the courage to speak up again. "So, SHIELD is going to be keeping an eye on me now, aren't they?" he asked warily.

"Most likely," I replied with a nod. "Boss wants to make sure you're fighting for the right reason, and not just another a vigilante." Peter grimaced at the word 'vigilante'.

For the next few minutes it was like this, talking about both SHIELD and what we were now doing. SHIELD was kept on the down-low; the last thing we needed was for people to start noticing. SHIELD wasn't exactly well known with the public. And it was better to keep it that way.

"Why exactly did you join SHIELD?" Peter finally asked in a low whisper.

I took a deep breath, already knowing what my answer would be. I had already thought of this for weeks, especially after my little chat with dad.

"It was the right thing to do," I explained. "Before I didn't know where my path lay or what my future would hold. I didn't know who or what I was. Because of SHIELD, I found out everything. From my birth parents to my people."

"When you put it that way... I still wouldn't wanna join." I couldn't help but laugh when he said that. Honestly I couldn't see Peter joining SHIELD.

"Okay, you may not want to join SHIELD, but there is someone who's been dying to meet you," I said with a grin.

"Who?"

"My dad."

. . .

"_Mr. Parker, tardy again. Well, at least we can always count on you."_

_"Sorry Miss. Ritter. It won't happen again, I promise."_

_"Don't make promises you can't keep, Mr. Parker."_

_"Yeah, but those are the best kind._"

. . .

There are some secrets that the world is not ready to know of. Such as SHIELD or Hydra.

One of those secrets was ready to make their presence known. They had grown in number. Their leader, though noble as he was, was ready to pass the throne to his son. They lived for a purpose that no other human knew of.

The last of the Aliquid still remained. And they would do anything they could to destroy her.

* * *

**AN: So there's the last of the Amazing Spiderman archive, for now at least. Peter will most likely be making more appearances later on, but for now the chapters will be fillers until I reach Iron Man 3. Which will definitely be much more exciting, I hope. And there are going to be surprise appearances as well in the next few chapters as well! Thanks Spinosa and dany1114 for reviewing!**

**dany1114 - I'm looking forward to writing that as well, though I'm not sure there will be a Steve X Ada pairing. I've kind of got other plans for her at the moment, but I'm not making any promises ;) I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter, hopefully this one was just as good.**

**Lyrics come from the song Demons by Imagine Dragons**


	54. Fantastic

_"My life and my whole eternity belongs to God. All this stuff is temporary. Money, fame, success…temporary. Even life is temporary. Jesus…that's eternal..." Willie Robertson_

* * *

**Chapter Fifty Three**

"Just make sure that gets delivered on time." Dad handed me what looked like a large package that was to be delivered today. Why he couldn't do this himself was beyond me. But apparently he was busy fixing a bug on the Iron Man suit, and wanted to finish it today.

"What happened to being grounded?" I asked with a grin.

For the last few weeks I'd been running errands like this. Of course I was still grounded. Dad was always keeping an eye on me ever since the Lizard attacked. I couldn't blame him for wanting to after what had happened. I'd nearly killed myself by trying to heal Captain Stacey's wounds.

With a shake of my head I walked over to the elevator, careful not to drop the package. I was to deliver it to the Baxter Building. Apparently world famous scientist Reed Richards was in need of some tech that dad had to offer. And I was lucky enough to meet him.

SHIELD had files on the Fantastic Four. As their name suggested there were four members of the team, consisting of Reed Richards, Ben Grimm, Susan Storm and Johny Storm. Among the four of them Reed was the smartest, and invented most of the technology they used.

"Thanks again for the ride Jimmy," I sighed as I got into the car.

There was no way in hell I'd walk all the way to the Baxter Building. It was close to Oscorp, which was nearly on the other side of the city. Jimmy was thankfully kind enough to offer a ride when I called him up. Apparently he had just avoided another long lecture from Director Fury.

"No problem, thanks for getting me out of that lecture," he replied with a sheepish grin. "Fury's still peeved with me for that mishap." He added the last part with a roll of his eyes. "So where to?"

"The Baxter Building." I looked down at the package, wondering what it was. Jimmy's eyes widened at the name.

"_The_ Baxter Building?" he asked, mouth gaping slightly.

"Yep. The one and only," I replied with a nod. "Apparently dad wants to make a delivery."

Jimmy only muttered something about me being lucky before taking off. Luckily he knew the city like the back of his hand. Jimmy had grown up here in the city before joining SHIELD. Because of that he was an expert on finding his way around places, especially busy streets like these.

It didn't take us long to reach the Baxter Building after that. Jimmy managed to weave his way through traffic like it was nothing. I wished I had those kind of driving skills. He parked nearby a tall looking building. Though it wasn't nearly as tall as Stark Tower or Oscorp, it was still daunting in size.

"So you get to meet the Fantastic Four. I've always wanted to." I made a simple nod before opening the door.

"I'll be sure to get you an autograph," I told him. Jimmy only rolled his eyes as I waved goodbye and grabbed the package. Whatever it was it was heavy. Probably some machine part that he needed in order to complete a project.

The Baxter Building loomed ahead as I made my way up the stairs. It was cold out, with it being late November. Most of the trees I'd seen had lost their leaves already. I had no doubt that winter would be approaching early.

"Miss, can I help you?" A guard was standing at the entrance of the building, eying my package in surprise. The building itself was nicely decorated, with marble flooring and a receptionist desk placed on the right. Near the back of the first floor were four elevators, and stairs were placed in the back of the room.

"I uh, have a delivery for a Reed Richards," I explained. The doorman's eyes widened when I held up the package, realizing where the delivery was coming from.

"Right away Miss Stark, you'll find Dr. Richards on the last floor." Quickly he let me in, giving me an odd look as I passed by. With one quick push of the up button, the elevator descended to the first floor. I was thankful it didn't take too long. The situation was already awkward enough.

I started humming a tune while waiting for the elevator to reach it's destination. Most elevators played crummy music while one was waiting inside. I assumed that the people here got tired of hearing it. Either that or it wasn't standard anymore. Finally after what seemed like hours when in reality it was only minutes, the elevator reached the top floor.

To my surprise I was greeted by the entire top floor being rented out by the Fantastic Four team. I should have remembered that part in the file when I read about them at SHIELD. Glancing around warily I stepped outside, only to find myself getting lost. This place was bigger than I expected. It wasn't until I bumped into someone that I realized how lost I really was. The hallway was like a maze, and I ended up wandering until I reached a small room with couches placed against the walls.

"Excuse me, I'm so sorry!" I apologized when I realized who it was I bumped into. It was none other than Susan Storm, otherwise known as the Invisible Woman. She looked just as shocked as I was until she recognized me.

"You're Ada Stark, aren't you?" she asked warily after I had placed down the package. It was getting a bit too heavy for my liking.

"Erm, yeah," I replied. We shook hands in greeting, though she understandably looked wary as she glanced at the package now placed on the sofa. "Look, I'm really sorry for coming here without any warning-" Susan cut me off with a wave of her hand.

"The package, right. We were told it would be delivered today," she explained. "The lab is this way."

I wasn't surprised by her icy attitude. She probably thought I was here to spy on them or something. Truthfully the thought hadn't even occurred to me until now. I'm sure by now that they knew I was also a SHIELD agent. And if they didn't know they would find out sooner or later.

Susan led the way to what looked like a huge room filled with lab equipment. This place reminded me a lot of the lab that dad built up. Only the tech in here was much more advanced looking. Large computers were placed in the back of the room, along with what looked like a chamber of sorts that could be fireproof. We stood there for a while until someone joined us. I held on to the package tightly, careful not to let it drop as he approached us.

"Dr. Reed Richards, I'm here to deliver a package from my father," I explained when he stopped in front of us. Reed's eyes widened when he realized it was here already. He stepped away from the screen he'd been fixing and took the package, thanking me in the process.

"Sorry the place is a mess," he muttered after placing the package on the nearest chair. I couldn't help but smirk when he ruffled the back of his brown hair. Streaks of white could be made out on the edge of either side. "It's normally not like this." I could tell just from the way he spoke that it was, but I wasn't here to judge.

"Johny! What the hell did you do?" We all jumped at the sound of footsteps running down the hall, followed by a bellowing shout.

"Ben, what's going on?" I watched on in amusement as Susan stepped in between the Thing and Johny Storm, otherwise known as the Human Torch.

From the files I've read they liked to fight. Johny was usually the one who started them. And Susan was always the one who finished them. It really was funny how they were a team and yet they acted more like a squabbling family.

"Who's this?" The blond stepped forward, pushing his sister to the side so that he was standing in front of me.

"Ada Stark." I avoided his searching gaze as a low growl sounded from Ben.

"What's the kid doing here?" Ben demanded. I glanced over my shoulder warily. Reed pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration before standing beside me.

"Delivery," I explained with a shrug. "Dad said he had an important part you needed to fox your machine." I looked over at the machine in question. Whatever it was I didn't want to know, although curiosity was starting to get the better of me.

"It's a machine that's supposed to regenerate the storm that gave us our powers," Reed explained. "I wasn't able to finish it until now."

Why would he want to regenerate the cosmic storm? Truthfully I couldn't imagine my life without my powers. But than again maybe these people didn't like what the public thought of them.

"So, what's it like being a Stark?" Johny was at my side the moment Reed returned to the machine. I only rolled my eyes in response and folded my arms.

"About as good as it gets," I replied with a shrug. "I could use a little less attention."

Before Johny could bomb me with more questions, Ben beat him to it. I'll admit it was nerve-wracking being next to Ben. He towered over me. But in a way he was a lot like the Hulk, and I've already fought alongside the Hulk. Maybe they had more in common than I realized.

"Is it true what they say about you?" he asked.

I couldn't help but flinch when he said that. Glancing down at the floor, I nodded.

"Sweet, always knew they were real." I didn't need to know what he meant by that. But it still annoyed me to no end.

Instead of letting the words get to me, I decided to check out the machine Reed was fixing. Apparently it had taken some damage or something along those lines.

"Need a hand?" I asked as Reed started putting the parts in place.

"This isn't exactly something a kid should be working on." Okay, I'll admit that stung. With a roll of my eyes I grabbed the nearest part and looked back at the parts that were put in a pile.

"Believe it or not I've helped dad build a few machines in my lifetime," I muttered crossly. "I can handle this."

Reed watched on in surprise as I welded a piece of metal to the machine, fixing the obvious. Dad was always the one pointing out mistakes I made, and I was quick to learn from them. This was nothing compared to that or the tech used at SHIELD.

"Hey, she has my powers!" Johny exclaimed. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as I leaned back. I could see why Ben argued with him so often.

"I can also do this." Without warning I called on the water from the sink nearby and aimed it at Johny.

"Did you just control the water?" Reed finally seemed to take notice as Susan joined us, followed shortly by Ben and Johny.

"I've always been able to," I replied with a shrug. "From what I've learned I can control the Earth, fire, water and air."

"Fascinating. And exactly how did you obtain these abilities?"

That alone was a long story, and one I probably didn't have enough time to share it. Plus I wasn't sure whether or not they would believe me. Johny may believe me but Reed and the others were scientists.

"Let's just say it was something I was born with," I murmured.

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**AN: I apologize for the delay of this chapter, writers block and business got in the way. And I've been using a lot of quotes from God's Not Dead. Haven't seen it yet? Than go check it out. You won't be disappointed! Very moving movie that will make you cry :'( Thanks Agent.S and Spinosa for reviewing!**


	55. Captured

**Chapter Fifty Five**

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_"I don't want to live without you, I'm not ready to live without you So let's dance a little, Laugh a little Hope a little more Cause I don't want to live without you, without you..." Without You, for KING and COUNTRY_

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Reed and the rest of his team were actually nice once you got to know them. After spending the next couple of hours talking and putting up with Johny's flirting, we had become fast friends. It was strange, being here and realizing that they were more than just a team. They were family, and even though they fought most of the time, they still treated one another with respect. Well, almost everyone did.

I rolled my eyes once again as Johny pulled off another prank on Ben, using what little patience he had on the younger one.

For the most part I was thankful I had spent the afternoon there.

That was how I found myself wandering back to the tower later that evening. I pulled over my hoodie to keep myself warm, reminding myself that it was still cold out.

For it being fall it was unusually cold. But I guess that's what I get for being surrounded by tall buildings. I wasn't used to winter on the East Coast. In Malibu it was usually in the sixties during the winter, and that was just the night-time temp.

"What's a pretty little chic like you doing out here all alone?" I suddenly picked up my pace as I heard footsteps coming from behind. "What, you're gonna ignore me now?"

The stranger in question was obviously a male. I didn't bother looking over my shoulder to find out. SHIELD training 101 stated not to go looking for fights. Always avoid conflict if possible. But of course this pain in the ass wasn't going to make that easy.

"Maybe I have more important things to worry about," I muttered under my breath, still keeping up my brisk pace.

Home was still a few blocks away. And of course this guy had to follow me the whole way.

"Ah come on, don't be like that." I held back a sigh of frustration and turned, only to frown when I saw who was standing behind me.

The stranger in question looked oddly familiar. But I couldn't quite place why. His face was hidden by a hoodie, but I could see locks of curly brown hair falling down to his eyes. All I knew was there was something about him I didn't like.

"Keep harassing me and you'll find out that I'm not someone you want to stalk." Again the words barely came out as a whisper, but he seemed to hear them loud and clear.

A shiver ran down my back when he smirked. It wasn't a look that I was expecting, and he seemed to know that.

"Oh I find you quite fascinating, Miss Ada Stark." I couldn't help but stiffen when he mentioned my name. "The world famous Tony Stark adopted you for a very good reason... should your powers fall in the wrong hands, well. The results would be disastrous."

Okay, this guy definitely just got a lot creepier. How the hell did he know about that?

Then all at once I felt my blood run cold. Now I suddenly understood. The stranger in question knew what I was thinking, and his smirk only grew wider.

"You're with the Black Knights." I spoke in a matter-of-fact tone, which led him to nodding in agreement.

"Clever girl," he replied. "I've been waiting for this moment so long."

"Waiting for what?" I decided to fake innocence until I had an idea as to what I was up against. Or more appropriately who.

"A chance like this." Quick as lightning he unsheathed a sword that was strapped to his waste. I didn't have time to react as the sword cut across my cheek, just barely missing my chest. Who the hell carried a sword in this century?

I moved to the side in an instant, throwing a piece of rock in his direction in the process of regaining my balance. There was no way in hell I'd let myself get bested by a sword. The idea made me laugh, inwardly of course.

"Swords are good for long-ranged attacks, but not short-ranged ones," I pointed out as I moved in fast. He only grunted in pain as I slammed a fist into his cheek, avoiding the sword as he swung it towards me once again.

This guy was definitely an amateur. I'm surprised the Black Knights sent him, given his abilities. Once he was out of range I threw another rock at his hands, knocking the sword out of them. His eyes widened in horror when he realized that he had already lost.

It wasn't until I had knocked out the sword that I realized we weren't alone. That was when things started go wrong. Suddenly something hard slammed down on the back of my head. The pain that followed nearly made me scream in protest.

"Looks like SHIELD didn't train you as well as you'd hoped." Black spots started clouding my vision when I heard the sneer. This was not going to end well, for either of us.

. . .

Tony was flying circles around the city in his Iron Man suit, trying desperately to seek out any signs of Ada among the crowd of people. He hated not knowing where she was if she was gone for a long period of time. Call him over protective but he had every right to worry.

The worst part was he had tried calling her several times, and had even contacted the Fantastic Four a few hours ago. They had explained that she left at least four hours ago and should be back by now. And of course that only made Tony even more anxious.

"Jarvis, call Fury. We need to find out what's going on," he ordered the A.I. as he landed on the roof of a nearby building.

At this rate he would never find her. Pepper hadn't called and he knew she was waiting at the tower in case Ada decided to show up.

He couldn't shake off the feeling that something had happened. Ada wouldn't just leave without telling him. Even if she did at least SHIELD would leave a memo. He only hoped that he was just over thinking the worst possible outcome.

. . .

Blearily my eyes opened up, only to find myself in a dark room. At least that's what I thought it was at first. Until my vision began to clear.

My head was throbbing from a sharp pain, and it took a while for my memories to register. Suddenly I regretted doing so, realizing exactly where I would find myself. The fear I felt began to overwhelm my senses. If I was where I thought I was, I had every right to be afraid.

A few more seconds of the same senseless looking around passed. I wasn't even sure what I sat on, or if anything held me down. All I could figure out was that I was captured. Well, there was no point in sitting around and doing nothing.

I found I was able to stand up and walk away from whatever I had been sitting on, much to my relief. But that didn't cease the worry I felt earlier.

For one thing waking up in a random room was never a good thing. For another I could remember being knocked out by one of those Black Knight goons. The room was beginning to change around me, the walls becoming narrower and lighter in color.

Let's see if I can use my powers. Maybe I could light my way through. I struggled to form a ball of fire in the palm of my hand.

Nothing happened.

I looked at my hand in confusion, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. That had never happened before. There must be something in the room blocking out my powers. That was the only explanation I could come up with.

My lips pressing in a thin line, I decided to start moving forward. It wasn't until I started walking that I noticed the light shining ahead.

If there's one thing I've learned during my training, it's never walk towards the light. Okay, that was a terrible joke. Especially given the situation I was in. The one thing that bothered me more than anything was that this was probably just a dream. And if this was just a dream, than I would wake up in a different room.

The light was getting brighter, if that was even possible.

Finally I reached what looked like the source of the light. It looked oddly similar to the Tesseract, energy reading and all. Only to me this light was oddly soothing. I looked around self consciously before reaching up, than I quickly stopped myself.

I've watched enough movies to know that something bad would happen if I took the artifact. You can blame Clint for that one, he was obsessed with Indian Jones for the last few months before he finally got over it. But if this was just a dream I wouldn't feel anything. Nothing would happen to me, if my assumptions were true. I took a deep breath before reaching out once again, struggling to keep my hands from shaking.

The first thing I noticed was that nothing had happened as I grabbed the glowing stone. Then I realized that I was somewhere else as my vision became clear once more. This room wasn't like any other room I had seen.

For a while I wondered if something terrible had happened.

"Where the hell am I?" I finally demanded out loud, not even realizing how hoarse my voice sounded.

That was when I realized I wasn't alone. Someone else was in the room, dressed in what looked like a trench coat and wearing a protective face mask. The stranger in question looked at me in what I would assume was shock.

But it had happened so quickly that I wasn't even sure it was reality. Moments later found myself back in the empty space. The stone was glowing again, and I realized that heat was emanating from it in waves.

Dammit, what the hell was happening to me? One moment I was... somewhere on Earth, and the next I somehow get transported somewhere else?

I couldn't think of a proper answer. My mind was already blacking out as the stone began glowing again. Whatever was happening I just hoped that it would stop soon. Otherwise this was going to get old fast.

* * *

**AN: So I finally updated! And this chapter was much more exciting to write. Whoever guesses what just happened gets a virtual cookie, cause I've been waiting for this moment for a long time :P**

**McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon - Thank you, I might keep that in consideration if I do get stumped again.**


	56. We Have A Plan

**Chapter Fifty Six**

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_"Oh, return to me, for I have paid the price to set you free." Isaiah 44:22_

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Pain throbbed in the back of my head, jolting me awake.

For a moment I wasn't sure what had happened. All I could remember was heading back home from a long day at work. The next thing I knew I was strapped here in a chair, surrounded by cold steel walls. All I knew for sure was that something bad happened.

I wrapped my hand in my pocket, not really sure why. And that was when I suddenly remembered what had happened.

Looking down in surprise, I realized that the stone I had reached out for earlier was still in my hand. But the glowing light had finally stopped. I could still feel heat radiating off of the stone, and I wasn't sure if that should worry me or fascinate me.

"I see you're finally awake." I stiffened at the sound of footsteps approaching. "We we wondering if Jeremy's attack was too much."

I couldn't help but struggle from the cuffs binding me to the chair. The voice belonged to a tall man with short dirty-blond hair. What really caught my attention was the outfit he was wearing. He had on what looked like a metal suit of some kind, similar to that of medieval armor. What was this, the eighteenth century?

"What do you want with me?" I demanded. I was surprised at how hoarse my voice sounded, like I hadn't spoken for days. It made me wonder how long I was out.

"Normally I would order for your death," he sneered. "But given the circumstances, I believe we have an even better plan."

Closing my eyes, I could only imagine what he had in mind. How this had happened was beyond me. I should have seen this coming. I knew the Black Knights were after me, and I was foolish enough to let my guard down.

"The fact that you are Tony Stark's adopted daughter gives us a huge opportunity," he explained, drawling closer as he spoke. I ignored the look he was giving me and tried to think of anything but this moment. "We could always use more money, especially with the economy the way it is."

I think I'm gonna hurl.

The last thing I wanted was for dad to get involved. I focused on my powers, hoping that somehow I could free myself. The stranger only laughed when he saw what I was trying to do.

"You can use your powers all you want, they aren't going to work here," he sneered.

"And just how is that possible?" Despite the fact that I was being held prisoner, I had to make myself look strong. There was no way in hell I'd let him think I was weak.

"The technology in this room prevents you from attacking us with your powers," he replied with a shrug. "We have been studying the Aliquid for years, learning of their strengths and weaknesses. You are no different from the rest of your people, little creature."

The venom in his voice made me want to punch him. I am not going to let this bastard take advantage of me.

. . .

Tony was pacing around the Hellicarrier as the others began approaching. His anxiety was beginning to get to everyone else.

A day had passed since Ada didn't return home. By than his anxiety had gotten the better of him. He hated admitting that he needed help, especially when that help came from SHIELD of all places. But if anyone knew where she was it was SHIELD.

The Avengers were on their way from whatever it was they weer doing. After having a nice chat with Fury, he had called just about everyone on the team. Thor was a bit out of his range, but that didn't matter.

"Tony, what's going on?" He stopped his pacing as soon as he heard Natasha's voice.

"Something's happened to Ada," he replied the moment he caught his breath. Natasha raised an eyebrow in surprise as he explained what had happened.

"The last place we tracked her was near the Baxter building," Director Fury explained when he reached them.

Relief washed over Tony, though only temporary, as the rest of the team gathered around him. Clint stood next to Natasha, Bruce and Steve stood together nearby.

"So she was kidnapped?" Steve looked up in surprise when he asked the question, like it was hard to believe something like that could happen to her. The glare Tony gave him would have sent anyone else running. He was in no mood to put up with this shit.

"We can't just assume-" Fury's response was cut short by an alarm blaring around them. Tony flinched at the sound, but everyone else seemed unfazed by the annoyingly loud noise.

"Sir, someone's breached our security," Maria's voice cut through the silence that followed.

Director Fury pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Just what we all need," he muttered under his breath.

It didn't take them long to reach the bridge. The Hellicarrier was in chaos as the video feed was taken over. Director Fury kept one eye on the screen as an image appeared, revealing a masked figure in a matter of seconds.

"Avengers, and SHIELD, it is a privilege to finally meet you." The voice belonged to what sounded like an older man with a deep, gruff voice. Already the agents watching were locating the source of the video feed. "I'm sure that you are trying to find our location, and that would be near impossible," he suddenly added in a sharp tone.

"Just tell us who you are and get on with it, we have bigger things to worry about." Tony ignored the glare that Fury sent him. To him finding Ada was the most important part of his life right now.

"I was just about to explain." Laughter sounded as the stranger in question tilted his head to one side. "You are missing someone dear to you, correct?"

His question caught Tony by surprise. How could he possibly know that Ada or someone in general was missing?

"I believe we have exactly who you are looking for."

Tony's teeth ground together as the camera moved, revealing a small room in which someone was being held captive. And to his alarm that someone looked very familiar.

Ada was strapped to the chair, her hands bound by cuffs. What struck him the most was how fragile she looked just sitting there. He would never admit that she really had won his heart the moment he adopted her.

"Let her go, she's done nothing to you!" Everyone looked at him in surprise when he shouted those words.

No one ever saw him as the fatherly type. He was always more of a party-goer and self-proclaimed playboy philanthropist. The public rarely got to see this side of him.

"We will let her go, for a small fee," the man replied. Tony's fists clenched when he heard the smirk in his voice. "Half a million dollars sounds reasonable enough if you ask me."

"Half a million?" By now hushed whispers had followed as the video screen switched back to the masked man.

"If you do not comply within twenty-four hours, you can say goodbye to your dear Aliquid, the last of her kind." The sneer in his voice really made Tony's skin crawl. "I'm sure you would hate to be responsible for the extinction of an alien race."

At that moment the screen went black, leaving the SHIELD agents to frantically search for the source of the video feed. Director Fury was in a semi-meeting with Natasha and Clint while Bruce and Steve stood there awkwardly, waiting for their orders.

"We can't just sit around here and let them do this," he pointed out, ignoring the looks they were giving him. He already had a bad enough reputation, there was no need to make it any worse.

"We're not going to," Fury replied in a confident tone. "We've got a plan."

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**AN: I apologize for the shorter chapters. They won't stay short for too long, but they are mostly fillers at the moment ;) I'm thinking of skipping Iron Man 3, mostly because the ending to that was just terrible and going right on to Thor Dark World. What do you think? Should I go on and write Iron Man 3 or skip it?**

**Ellethwen of Lothlorien - You were the first to guess it right! You've just earned a virtual cookie! *hands over virtual cookie* And thank you for reviewing :D**

**McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon - Don't you just love em? :P**

**Lizeyli - Thank you for taking your time to read this! I'm glad you've enjoyed it so far, hopefully the net few chapters will be just as exciting :)**


	57. On The Move

**Chapter Fifty Seven**

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_"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth..." Acts 1:8_

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"You little bitch."

I forced back a cry of pain as the man who spoke slapped me again. In a matter of seconds he swung a knife across my cheek, the pain burning like fire against my flesh.

For the next few days, hours, I wasn't even sure how much time had dragged on, it was like this. Someone would walk in, insult me and pull off some extent of torture. By now I had gotten used to the constant visits. But the pain that followed was something I could never get used to.

They had used some kind of drug to suppress my healing abilities. And of course they used that to their advantage.

Someone had warned me that this would happen. That if I was ever captured during a mission they would torture me. SHIELD had never trained me for this kind of torture. Maybe I should've taken Natasha's offer in that training.

"You won't even fight back, will you?" My eyes narrowed with fury as he cut my wrist with his knife.

The pain that followed made me want to scream. But I held back, knowing that would only satisfy him. All I could do was glare daggers at him as he cleaned the blood off his blade.

"You won't get away with this." My voice barely came out as a whisper.

"Oh but I already have," he sneered. I forced back a cry of shock as he cracked a whip, using various methods to inflict pain.

I wondered if this was what it was like for the rest of my people, when the Black Knights had found them. Had they suffered from this kind of torture as well? I couldn't be sure as I looked away from my attacker.

"What you did to my son was unforgivable, and this is the least I can do to repay you." I flinched when I realized who it was speaking to me.

Nathan Carhall, the father of Emmet and the guy who had tried killing me months ago. Bitter memories of that night suddenly came rushing back. The fact that his father was part of the Black Knights should have reminded me that he would inevitably return.

The torture seemed to last for hours, with Nathan either inflicting the pain or someone taking his place. After what felt like hours upon hours of the same endless pain, they finally left me. For a moment I could breath out a sigh of relief. There had to be some other way out of this mess. I couldn't let dad or SHIELD pay that ransom.

A few more minutes passed before the doctors came rushing in. I'm surprised they even cared enough to heal my wounds. Considering the Black Knights were bent on destroying all that was left of the Aliquid, they should have left me here for dead.

"These sedatives should help," one of the nurses explained as she placed a gentle hand on my arm. That movement was enough to make my teeth grind from the burning sensation. The pain had dulled to the point where it left a throbbing headache. I couldn't help but wince at the feeling of a needle poking through my skin. The drugs they had used made it so that the pain was even worse than what it should be.

The sympathy in her voice made me want to vomit. She didn't care one bit about what happened to me. She was only here because she would likely be killed if she left the Black Knights. Once she was finished applying the sedatives and checking my wounds, she left me alone.

And for the first time I only just realized how thankful I was for that alone time. Carefully I pulled out the purple stone that I kept hidden in my pocket.

My hand may be strapped to the chair but that didn't stop me from wriggling around so that I could reach my pockets. After all I've been through I still couldn't figure out what this stone was, or what it did. All I did know was that it had given me a major headache the moment I woke up.

'_Is there any way out of this mess?_' I asked silently.

I could feel my skin crawling with shock when I heard voices screaming back at me. The mental connection I had with Nadia was temporarily broken. All I could hear were angry voices, and for a moment I wondered if it was Nadia cursing at the Black Knights.

After a few more seconds of the same thing occurring, I realized there was no point in keeping contact. Holding back a sigh of frustration I had to let go. One way or another I had to get out of here. And I think I knew just where to start.

. . .

"Stark, Banner, you got the counterfeit money?" Director Fury stood in front of the entrance to the bridge, looking at the team that was already gathered for their latest mission.

"Yep." Tony made a popping sound at the end of his response, earning glares from Clint and Natasha.

"Good, we need to take care of this as soon as possible." Director Fury nodded firmly to Tony as he grabbed the suitcase in question.

In the suitcase was about eight million bucks of counterfeit money. Tony could easily pay off their demands, but he was in no hurry to give money to a group of murderers.

The plan was simple enough. Once they handed the Black Knights or whatever these crooks called themselves, they would grab Ada and fight back. The Black Knights would be unprepared and vulnerable. It gave the team a major advantage.

"Banner, I want you to let the Hulk do what he does best," Fury went on as the team was debriefed. "Make a lot of noise, drawl their attention and get them out of hiding. Our mission is to find Ada and bring her back. We'll work in pairs, Widow and Hawkeye will work as a partners, Stark and Captain will work in a pair as well."

"The minute I find those Black Knight bastards I'm blasting them," Tony pointed out, ignoring the look Fury gave him.

"Frankly I wouldn't mind if a few Black Knights went missing," Fury replied. "Just don't compromise the mission. We can't afford to lose anyone."

"As soon as Banner Hulks out it will be a race against time," Maria added as she stood beside Fury. "We'll be keeping contact with you throughout the mission, if anything goes wrong we'll know immediately."

"How soon do we leave?" Clint asked.

"In exactly one hour," Fury replied. "So make sure you're ready, and rendezvous at the quinjet."

The team split up and began getting ready. With everything that was going on, they needed some kind of distraction.

Steve had already grabbed his Captain America suit and shield before heading for the quinjet. He never left for a mission without it.

Tony was working on some final adjustments for his Mark 50 suit in the lab. For all the work done with it he had never made the suit bulletproof. The paint itself was bullet-resistant, which meant he wouldn't have to worry about having to paint it again if the suit got damaged.

Bruce went off to find the suitcase Tony had been holding earlier, much to his annoyance, and collect more medical supplies just in case.

And finally there was Natasha and Clint. They were busy preparing for the worst outcome, Clint fixing his quiver and bows while Natasha repaired some damage that was done to her stingers. For the most part the Hellicarrier was unusually calm.

"Avengers, report to the quinjet."

In a matter of seconds the team was assembled by the hanger door that led to the quinjets. It was unsurprising that Clint would be the pilot for this mission. According to the plan they were to park about a mile or so away from the meeting point. Once they were ready Clint started the engine.

Over all the ride wasn't that long, maybe a thirty-minute flight if they made good time. The ride was awkwardly silent. But Tony preferred it that way. It gave him a chance to think of what he would do once he got his hands on the Black Knights.

This was one fight he couldn't afford to lose. One of the most important people in his life was being held captive, and he felt responsible for it. There was no way in hell he would let these people get away with anything they did to Ada.

* * *

**AN: Sorry for updating so late, been very busy lately! But this chapter was fun to write... I also apologize for any major swearing or violence included in the next few chapters. It had to happen sooner or later :P**

**Lizeyli - I'll see what I can do, but I'm not making any promises ;)**

**McKennaSuaveDaughterofPoseidon - Tell me about it. You're not the only one!**


	58. Finally Rescued

**Chapter Fifty Eight**

**WARNING: This chapter was typed in third person point of view, sort of as an experiment. I'm not sure if it will be a permanent thing, but I'll let you know when it changes.**

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_"Are you made of lead paint, A bulletproof Picasso All the virgin saints, Put you here to care for me I don't need a reason, For anything I feel Just be glad I say what I mean And mean what I say to you..." Bulletproof Picasso, Train_

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The next few hours were like a blur for Ada. She wasn't sure how much time had passed. All she could remember was the pain inflicted by her captures. Each one that paid a visit was different. One would use a whip to add to the scars that were now forming, another would violate her in any way they pleased.

It made her sick knowing that she was part of their games. She forced back the tears that were threatening to overwhelm her, knowing that crying wasn't going to help.

Besides, she was a SHIELD agent. Spies didn't cry. Sobbing was just another sign of weakness.

"Looks like your friends have made their decision." Ada looked up in alarm at the voice, realizing who it belonged to. Nathan was standing in the doorway, a smirk on his face as he reached for a handgun. The movement only caused Ada to struggle more against her restraints.

She tried focusing on her powers, but nothing happened. The sedatives they had used were too much. A combination of shock and exhaustion slowly took over.

"So weak you can't even defend yourself," he sneered as he reached forward.

Her teeth ground together as he pulled the trigger. She braced herself for the pain that would follow. In her current condition she would never survive getting shot at, especially if the attack was short-ranged. The attack never came.

Ada looked around warily when she heard an explosion. Nathan had already dropped his gun at the tremor that followed. She used the distraction to her advantage by prying her wrist away from the chair. Once she had one hand free it was easy to undo the other cuff.

With one swift leap she managed to kick Nathan to the ground, ignoring the pain that surged through her. Right now she needed to find a way out. If her hunch was right than SHIELD had already found their base. That meant all she needed to do now was find them, and take down the base in the process.

By the time she reached the hallway the sedatives were already taking in effect. Moments before Nathan had arrived the doctors had used the sedatives on her to dull the pain. Ada's teeth ground together as she searched the hallways for signs of escape.

"Take down the Aliquid!" The orders came from the intercom, causing Ada to jump in surprise.

Almost at once she could hear the sound of footsteps drumming down the cement floors. Instinct was quick to kick in as she moved to the side, hiding herself best as she could. She was in no hurry of getting caught again, especially with the base in such chaos.

The ceiling lights were still flickering on and off from the explosions that shook the area. What was SHIELD trying to do, blow the place up? She had a feeling that was exactly what they had planned. Especially when she could hear the Hulk roaring in the distance.

What she wouldn't give for a pair of earplugs right about now. The noise was beginning to get to her as she huddled in a corner, trying to block it out. The sedatives were starting to take on a full effect on her system.

The pain was becoming too much, and her senses had been dulled by the sedatives. If she kept moving forward she would eventually pass out, and be a sitting target for the Black Knights. All she could do now was hide here in the corner and hope that someone would find her in a search party.

. . .

Tony had just blasted the nearest Black Knight goon before taking off into the narrow hallways, ignoring the roars of the Hulk. Banner had Hulked out the moment they started firing on the unsuspecting Avengers. Hopefully SHIELD could keep the Hulk from destroying this base. As far as Tony could tell the base was pretty empty now, as the Hulk had drawn the majority of enemies out of hiding.

"Jarvis, locate Ada for me," Tony ordered as he started scanning the area.

Ada's signature was different from a humans'. Tony had learned that not long after he adopted her. So it shouldn't take too long for him to find her if all went according to plan.

"Sir, it appears as though she is just twelve feet from your location," the AI replied moments later.

At last he could breath out a sigh of relief. So long as she wasn't hurt he was happy. But his relief was short-lived when he did finally reach her location. He could only gape at what he saw.

She was huddled in a corner with her legs up to her chin in a fetal position. But that wasn't what had really startled him. It was the look of horror in her eyes as she finally realized she wasn't alone that sent him over the edge.

Kneeling down he placed a hand on her shoulder, gentle yet firm in his touch. Ada looked like she was about to say something when she closed her mouth and shook her head. Moments later and her eyes rolled to the back of her head, before she blacked out.

"Well that doesn't look good." Tony glared at Clint, ignoring the archer as he and Steve only just joined them.

"She's been knocked out with sedatives from what it looks like," Steve pointed out. Being in the army had taught him what to look for when it came to injuries like that.

"Whatever those bastards did they're still gonna pay," Tony muttered under his breath. Gently he leaned down, careful not to hurt Ada or damage his Iron Man suit as he picked her up. "Jarvis, scan for any Black Knight goons that might-"

Tony's orders were cut off by another explosion. The three Avengers inside were shaken by the sudden series of one blast after another. Around them the walls began crumbling down, and it didn't take a genius to realize what was happening.

"They're caving us in!" Steve shouted, holding up his shield to block the falling debris around him.

"No shit Sherlock," Clint retorted. The glare Steve sent him was priceless. They didn't have time to argue, not with so much at stake.

"Is there any way to get out of here, without getting crushed by tons of rock?" Tony was the one who asked this time, struggling to find any possible exits they could take.

So far it looked like the Black Knights had managed to block out any escape routes. As far as Tony could tell the only way out was to go up. And that was blocked too by the ceiling that had caved in just seconds ago.

"Our signal's blocked too, there's no way to contact the others." Tony held back a groan of frustration when Clint said that.

Of all the times for the signal to be lost, it had to happen now.

"Let me try blasting my way through this," he replied before reluctantly letting Ada go. Despite his earlier arguments with the good Captain he knew that she was in safe hands when Steve took her.

He started firing the repulser blasters at the pile of debris now surrounding them. It didn't seem like his attacks were getting anywhere, until Clint suddenly fired an explosive arrow. The rocks barely moved, much to their annoyance.

Tony held back a sigh of frustration when he realized that they were caved in, but not to the point of getting crushed by the walls. Well, this couldn't get anymore awkward.

"There's gotta be another way out," Clint muttered while searching for any weak points in the debris.

That was when they realized something wasn't right. The ground was still trembling, as if explosions were happening outside of the building. It was possible with SHIELD trying to take down the base. But Tony knew what a real explosion felt like, and he had a feeling that the trembling wasn't caused by one.

. . .

"Hawkeye and the others are still trapped in that building."

Natasha managed to swing her leg into the thigh of an escaping Black Knight goon as they were fleeing from their base. So far everything had gone according to plan, until of course the others went missing.

The building in question had been all but destroyed thanks to the Black Knights. It was difficult to make anything out in all the smoke. But one thing was certain, they wouldn't survive long under all of that cement. Tony and Hawkeye wouldn't be able to blast their way through if her assumptions were correct, which they usually were.

"Hulk SMASH!" Without warning Hulk had slammed his fists into the ground, causing the whole area to tremble. Natasha raised an eyebrow when she realized what he was doing.

Much as she hated admitting it, the Hulk was needed to clear this kind of debris. He was working fast to pick apart the debris blocking their way. Finally the Hulk had managed to create a large opening in the pile of debris, making it look far easier than it actually was.

"Thanks Hulk." Despite the mess they were in Natasha flashed the Hulk a grin. Hulk only grunted in response as she slipped through the hole, able to weave her way through the openings she found.

This wasn't any different from her usual missions. In fact this was easy compared to what she normally did.

Soon she was racing down the hallways, avoiding any debris that littered the area in the process. Finding them in this mess would be next to impossible if it wasn't for their arguing. She could already hear Clint and Tony arguing even from this distance.

With a roll of her eyes, Natasha pulled aside a piece of rubble until she could clearly see the three men in question. Thankfully it didn't take long for her to reach them. All three looked at her in alarm until realizing what was happening.

"What happened?" Steve asked warily.

"The Hulk got a little carried away. We managed to snare a couple Black Knights though," she explained with a wry smile.

"Good, maybe we can beat the crap out of them and find out why they did this," Tony muttered crossly.

The others nodded in mutual agreement. To wipe out an entire race was unheard of, complete and utter genocide. And the Black Knights had done just that, as far as they knew. Ada was the last of her kind, an endangered species.

It was strange to think of it that way, considering she was just like an ordinary human.

"She needs medical attention right away... looks like they used some kind of drug on her," Clint added after helping Tony carry her out.

Natasha wasn't surprised to see the girl was unconscious. In truth she could remember her years of captivity and torture. She had a feeling that's exactly what Ada had gone through in here. But the cuts and bruises were already healing at a slow rate.

"We'll find out what they did soon enough," she murmured thoughtfully.

Though she had a feeling it wouldn't be a pretty story. She knew how traumatizing it could be under this kind of stress. Hopefully this wouldn't change Ada for the worst. She would make a dangerous enemy if she turned on them.

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**AN: Finally got this chapter done. Sorry for the long wait; between job hunting and reading other books, my schedule has been kind of crazy. I'm also seeing Guardians of the Galaxy again today, can't wait! :D Thank you ellethwen of lothlorien and Spinosa for reviewing! You guys are amazing!**


	59. Fast Recovery

**Chapter Fifty Eight**

**WARNING: This chapter has been written in third person. Sorry for the confusion. And this is also the second-last chapter. Another warning. to my readers.**

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_"Well, hell sees her shadow in my backseat And her friends are standing right in front of me, World wide from the Cimmaron to Turkey, Open up said, "Everybody loves me..." Everybody Love Me, OneRepublic_

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When they arrived at the Hellicarrier Director Fury was already waiting for them. Clint and Steve had minor injuries while Natasha had a bruise on her thigh along with a cut on her cheek. For the most part they were relatively unscathed.

Of everyone in the small group it was Ada who had sustained the most injuries. Bruce was certain she had internal bleeding now after checking her over in the quinjet.

"The two Black Knight agents you caught are in a holding cell," Fury explained as they followed him to the medical bay. "So far they've said nothing, but we're getting closer." They didn't need to know what he meant by that.

SHIELD had a variety of ways to get them talking. And if they didn't, they'd be thrown into prison anyways for the next few years.

Once inside the medical bay Bruce helped the nurses and doctors tend to the injured agents. An odd sense of calm had settled over everyone. Tony was too busy worrying about Ada to notice how much time had passed.

She still hadn't woken up since they rescued her. He wasn't sure if the drugs they had used were effecting her system somehow. Since SHIELD knew so little about the Aliquid it was hard to tell what was wrong with her.

"She'll be fine Tony," Bruce said in a reassuring tone. Tony didn't miss the doubt in his voice. "Her powers are already speeding up her recovery time," he explained after noticing most of the cuts and bruises were gone already.

It was amazing to think that she could do such a thing. According to the files SHIELD had created she was capable of controlling all four elements: Earth, air, fire and water. There was no telling what else she could do with powers like that.

"It's never a dull moment with you guys," Tony sighed after rubbing his cheeks. The Iron Man suit had sustained a few dents here and there. Once he was off this ship he'd have to repair it and continue his work with the other suits.

"You're welcome," Clint piped in. Tony only rolled his eyes as the archer headed for the mess hall. It was close to lunch time after all.

Natasha eyed Tony warily as he placed a hand on Ada's shoulder. She was placed on a hospital bed for the time being until she woke up. No one had ever seen this side of Tony before. To the public he was always seen as a self-proclaimed playboy, philanthropist and billionaire.

Seeing him now made her realize just how wrong they were. It was a nice change compared to how he normally acted.

"I'd love to kick their asses for what they've done," Tony grumbled. It didn't take a genius to know who he was referring to.

"We all would," Natasha pointed out. "But until they start talking we can't do anything."

Tony muttered something under his breath, realizing that she did have a good point. Besides, if anyone was going to get revenge on them it should be Ada. After all the Black Knights were the reason behind her people's destruction.

. . .

"Do you really think we'll talk?" One of the Black Knight goons, his name was Archie according to the files agent Hill managed to look up, demanded. He along with his comrade were currently placed in an interrogation room.

The walls were padded, with a one-way mirror that could be viewed from the hallways outside. Agent Hill was the one asking questions, keeping an eye on both men. The second one in question was younger than Archie, with dark brown hair and pale brown eyes. What struck her as odd was the scar that she had seen in the back of his neck. Someone had obviously inflicted a serious injury on him a few years or months ago.

"I know you will," she snapped, folding her arms and giving them both a glare. "Under certain laws we aren't allowed to torture you for answers. But given the circumstances I believe we are justified to do just that."

For a brief moment she saw fear flicker in Archie's eyes. That was good. Fear made them vulnerable, and made them do stupid mistakes. If she was careful she would get the answers without having to use such methods.

"That doesn't mean we'll give in," the younger gentlemen retorted. Maria only rolled her eyes and placed her hand on her hips, waiting for him to say something else. His comment earned a glare from Archie, who looked like he was having second thoughts about the current situation they were in. "Even if we did give you the answers we would still be going to prison," his friend pointed out. "So why should we tell you?"

"Do you even feel the slightest amount of guilt for what your people have done?" The two men only shrugged in response. Maria held back a sigh of frustration. "Your people nearly wiped out an entire race, committing the worst kind of genocide."

For once she noticed that the younger gentlemen actually looked guilty. He only responded with a nod before looking down at his hands, as if trying to decide whether or not he should speak.

"The Black Knights have a reason for doing what they did," he suddenly spoke up. Maria raised an eyebrow as she looked back at him, waiting for an explanation. "I-I mean-" He was cut off by a quick jab in the arm by Archie.

"What he means to say is that we'd never give away any secrets," Archie replied, the slightest of sneers in his tone.

Maria only looked at them thoughtfully before shaking her head. "That's fine by me," she murmured. "Take them to the Fridge. They can spend the rest of their lives there." Both men stared at her in alarm when she said that over the com. "Have a nice day," she added with a grin.

. . .

Too long, it had seemed since she finally opened her eyes. For a while she could see nothing but darkness surrounding her. The voices kept bringing her back to reality every now and than. But the moment was so short-lived that Ada wasn't sure if it was just a dream.

Finally, after what felt like days of being knocked out, she opened her eyes. At first her vision was blurry, but than everything became clear as she discovered where she had been placed.

Ada found herself in the medical bay on the Hellicarrier. It took her a few minutes to realize that she had been out longer than she expected. She looked around to see dad sleeping in a chair not far away, resting his head on his hand.

She tried not to grin as she sat up. The pain from earlier had faded, like a blurred memory. She wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. As far as she could tell there were no scars from her captivity.

"Hey dad," was all she could say when she finally stood. In that instant his eyes flew open. Ada stifled a fit of laughter when he suddenly wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. "Dad I'm fine, honestly!" she struggled to say, finding it difficult to breath now.

After a few more seconds he finally let go. "Do you have any idea what kind of hell you put me through?" he demanded.

"Considering that you were sleeping in a chair and not a comfortable bed tells me a lot," she replied.

Guilt suddenly washed over her when she realized how much worry he must have gone through. It was just like how she felt when he was captured in Afghanistan. Only than she wasn't sure whether or not he would make it out alive. Of course during her time in captivity she wasn't sure if she would make it out alive.

"Don't you ever do that to me again," he snapped.

"Dad, I'm a SHIELD agent," she reminded him. "It's kind of an occupational hazard."

The glare he gave her was priceless. "Then why'd you sign up for SHIELD?" he said under his breath, wary of the cameras watching them.

In truth Ada knew all along that SHIELD was always watching them. The contract gave them the right to watch their every move. SHIELD would be the first to know if anything had gone wrong, or if they needed help. But his question also left her wondering why she had really signed up for SHIELD.

She had always told herself that it was to find out more about her people. And to learn how to defend herself when it was needed. After training as a SHIELD agent for the past five months she had learned there was so much more to that reason.

"I joined SHIELD because I wanted to help people," she admitted. "And because I realized there is more to life than finding out who you are." She closed her eyes and leaned against the wall, knowing what would happen next.

"Well that sucks," he muttered crossly. "Because all I ever wanted to do was keep you and Pepper safe."

Ada couldn't help but smile at those words. Dad really did care about them. She had always known that. She just needed to hear those words for herself.

"I would like to see Pepper again," she admitted. She wondered what Pepper was up to since she was captured by the Black Knights. It felt like she hadn't seen Pepper in months, when in reality it was only a couple of days.

"Of course you would rather want to see her," dad said with a sheepish grin.

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**AN: Double chapter update, for the first time in a few months. So I know the ending was kind of cheesy, but I couldn't resist ending it there. And yes, I do plan on writing one more chapter before this is finished. After that I'm going to start the sequel, which will be posted later tomorrow and include parts of Iron Man 3 and possibly, a huge possibly, Thor: Dark World. I'm still not sure yet. Big thanks to ellethwen of lothlorien for reviewing, you're an awesome reviewer! :D**


	60. Finale

**Chapter Sixty**

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_"Well, everybody's got a story to tell, And everybody's got a wound to be healed I want to believe there's beauty here 'Cause oh, I get so tired of holding on, I can't let go, I can't move on I want to believe there's meaning here, How many times have you heard me cry out "God please take this"? How many times have you given me strength to, Just keep breathing? Oh I need you God, I need you now..." Need You Now, Plumb_

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Life seemed to be getting back to normal, for the most part.

I continued my training with SHIELD, focusing on learning to control my powers. I hadn't spoken to Nadia ever since I was rescued. The last time I tried that all I could hear was a storm of angry voices. I couldn't be sure what was happening. But if Nadia ever took control again the results could be disastrous.

Every now and than I would get together with Peter and catch up. But for the most part Peter and I had been avoiding each other. I knew he was busy with his job as Spiderman, and was trying to avoiding SHIELD as often as he could.

Most of my time was spent working in the labs at SHIELD when I wasn't training. I loved working alongside Jimmy and FitzSimmons now that they had officially graduated. The fact that they were now official SHIELD agents was great news, and I couldn't be happier for them.

To top things off Coulson had started a team of his own a few weeks ago. I didn't hear much about it aside from the fact that he would be leading it. Coulson had made it clear that he would pay regular visits to the Hellicarrier when he got the chance.

In the meantime dad was busy spending more time in his own lab. Apparently he was busy working on new suits after what had happened just weeks ago. Something was bothering him, and I had a feeling it had to do with what did happen that day. Seeing how much he had changed I wouldn't be surprised.

Now I was lying on my bed, looking at the stone I had picked up a few weeks ago. The stone was still glowing a vibrant purple. I've kept the stone a secret since I was rescued. Truthfully I was afraid of what Director Fury would say if he found out about.

One thing I could take from the stone was that it was powerful. I could feel some kind of energy emanating from it. Something about the stone was oddly soothing, yet nerve-wracking at the same time. It was difficult to explain what I felt towards it.

Maybe in the near future I would start doing some research on it. I'm sure SHIELD has something in it's database that revolved around this mysterious stone, and the stranger I'd seen after grabbing hold of it.

Christmas was almost here. I had already gotten most of my Christmas shopping done, thanks to the help of Jarvis. Natasha was the hardest to shop for; though I had gotten to know her there was still so much I had to learn. And probably would never know. Clint was just as difficult to shop for, but Bruce and Steve not so much. Everyone else just received small gifts for Christmas. It wasn't much but the gifts were better than nothing as far as I was concerned.

"Hey Jarvis, do you know where dad is?" I asked after putting the stone back in a secure place.

I figured keeping it in my pocket wasn't exactly the safest thing to do. Especially after it had nearly burned a hole in one of the pants I had to toss.

"He is down in the labs ma'am," came the friendly AI's response.

Of course he was in the lab. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and got up, knowing he would likely ignore any calls I made.

The mansion itself was beautifully decorated with Christmas ornaments. Pepper and I had been working on it for the last couple of days, eager to make the place feel more like Christmas. Of all the holidays we celebrated Christmas was my favorites.

I didn't love Christmas because of the presents. It was the idea behind Christmas that had always intrigued me. Dad may think differently of the story behind it, but I would love to visit a midnight service at church one of these years. Maybe Pepper would be willing to go with me.

"Dad, you haven't left the lab all day," I pointed out the moment I reached the lab. It was easy to override the code he'd put in.

"I'm just finishing this suit," came the response that usually followed.

Looking around I noticed that dad had worked on plenty of suits. Something was definitely bothering him. He hadn't worked on suits this much for as long as I could remember. And seeing him now, I could see dark rings around his eyes when he finally looked up at me. He looked exhausted, much to my annoyance.

"How much sleep have you been getting?" I demanded.

"Enough sleep to keep me going," he muttered.

"Dad, seriously. This lack of sleep is getting old. What's going on?" I folded my arms and looked at him defiantly as he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"You really want the truth?" he asked warily. I only nodded in response, ignoring the fact that he was actually telling me the truth. Or he would just come up with some kind of excuse. "I've been working on them ever since the battle in Manhattan," he admitted. "That battle, made me realize just how vulnerable I-_we_ are."

I simply shrugged at the remark. Death was inevitable when you were in this field of work. Dad should know that by now. In truth I was a little scared of what would happen when I died. Was there a Heaven for people who weren't human? I had no idea.

"And the suits... the suits are like a distraction from that fear," he went on, struggling to find the right words. "I'm just afraid that something's going to happen. Something bad."

That made me look at him in surprise. So there was more to this than he was letting on. But what could be worrying him so much? The Black Knights were still out there, waiting for the right chance to attack. But they were my problem, not his.

I suddenly remembered what had happened to dad during that battle in Manhattan. He had almost been stuck in the portal when Natasha was forced to close it. The nuclear bomb that the Council sent had been deterred by dad, but only at the last second. He was lucky to be alive after what had happened.

"You may just be over thinking again," I murmured halfheartedly. But something told me there was more to it than that. I had a feeling that things were about to get dangerous. Much more dangerous for us all.

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**AN: So there's the last chapter. I know, not the best ending. But it was better than nothing :P The sequel will likely be posted either tonight or tomorrow, depending on my schedule. I'm not making any promises. Huge thanks to Spinosa and ellethwen of lothlorien for reviewing! You guys are amazing :D**

**ellethwen of lothlorien - Yep, there will be a sequel, don't worry :)**


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